Latest from the Pool Committee
So, what's the update on the pool? - November 2011
Many people have been wondering what happened after our inspirational Public Meeting with the Council regarding the threat to Mirboo North Swimming Pool. Thanks to everyone in the community there were over 800 submissions received by the Shire and more than 2000 signatures on petitions.
Following on from those wonderful responses, the Pool Committee has been steadily working away behind the scenes
and the members present this update for your enlightenment.
There have been ongoing discussions with Councillors and with the staff at the Shire regarding maintenance matters, the tender process for the management of the pool and preparations for the upcoming season. The tender for the management should be announced in mid November, in time for the successful managers to have staff and procedures in place for the opening of the Pool on 1st December.
Mirboo North Idol is scheduled for Saturday 3rd December, so let's hope all is in place by then! There will also be a number of Movie Nights planned, and maybe the weather gods will be kinder to us this coming season.
To this end, a working bee is to be held on Sunday 20th November, detailed elsewhere in the paper, and it is to be hoped that as many people as possible will be on hand to share their skills and add some muscle or brain power to make the pool a more attractive and welcoming venue for all ages.
The Committee is undertaking planning to develop a Master Plan for the future of the pool. This will incorporate methods
of extending the swimming season, attracting more people to the pool and increasing the activities available, so that the venue is more than just a swimming facility. Any ideas will be considered, so please be forthcoming. We know there are people out there with great ideas. Make them known to the Committee via Facebook or direct to any Committee members.
There will also be fundraising by The Friends of Mirboo North Swimming Pool, so keep that in mind when you have spare change. In order to keep the pool viable we will need to upgrade some facilities. This will benefit not only the current users but those in years to come.
If you have learnt to swim here, if your children or grandchildren have enjoyed the picturesque surrounds and have been able to meet their friends here and have family picnics, then keep our lovely pool in your thoughts and help out when possible. We don't want our kids to have to travel half an hour to Korumburra to enjoy an outdoor pool!
Mirboo North Swimming Pool Committee
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Public Meeting - Tuesday 23rd August 2011
Well what a response! Just how many people can you get into the Shire Hall?!! The pool committee expected a decent turn out on Tuesday night but we were absolutely blown away by the response; and just quietly, I think the Shire was a bit surprised too. When they arrived to set up for the evening I'm told the Shire officers put out 25 chairs -one of the members of the pool committee helpfully suggested that they might like to keep going. The Committee is incredibly grateful to all those who came and showed their support for the pool. We are aware others wished to attend and either had other commitments, live too far away or just couldn't fit into the hall and would like to acknowledge your support too.
It was so great to see such a cross section of our community at the meeting. The Shire officers have told us in the past that they believe the ‘youth' of Mirboo North do not use our pool (one wonders if they've ever been there in summer). Not only do the ‘youth' of Mirboo North use our pool, they are prepared to stand up for its ongoing support and to tell the Shire what they think in front of a very large crowd. Well done to all those ‘youths' who managed to get hold of the
microphone!
Shire officers have also told us that with an ‘aging population' there will be little support for an outdoor, cold-water pool. They forget that many of that ‘aging population' grew up with the pool, taught their kids to swim at the pool and now take their grandkids there. I note that most of those among the ‘aging population' who spoke up didn't seem to need the microphone.
Those of us who are newer to the town, who didn't grow up with the pool, but see its huge value to the community, we moved to this town for a reason. Many people have quoted the pool as part of the attraction for their ‘tree change' to Mirboo North. It was certainly part of the attraction for my family - the community spirit was another and that was demonstrated in spades on Tuesday night!
So we've fired the first shot across their bow but, What next? I've been asked. A lot of people raised some really great points at the meeting and a lot of others didn't get a say as the Mayor had to wrap things up and get home to bed. Tedious as it is, what we have to do now is put all those points in writing. It is important to remember that there were only 5 of the Shire's 9 councillors represented on Tuesday night and it is the votes of all the councillors that are important in the long run.
We know what the Mayor thinks - he told us quite clearly, he believes the Shire cannot afford to run more than 3 pools - and we know which 3 he means. He is also quoted in the Latrobe Valley Express as conceding that ‘the approval of the proposed aquatic plan would result in a ‘slow death' for the Mirboo North Pool'. He tried a little scare mongering with some potential rate rise figures if the Shire were to build five more SPLASH-like facilities, but I'm pretty sure from the response in the hall that most people saw through that. I think he also said something along the lines of you can't take from one community to provide for another - that we need to think Shire wide - well we are trying. It would be nice if he did too.
We are pretty clear on the views of Councillor Lewis as regularly published in this paper - he believes in the need for an equitable provision of services across the Shire and we appreciate David's support for the things that matter in Mirboo North.
You may not have heard from them, but Councillors Jackson, Fawcett and Davis were also at the meeting. These councillors were present at a meeting with the pool committee prior to the public meeting a few things of note were said.
Councillor Jackson didn't have all that much to say, but when pressed by the editor of this paper she did say that the meeting was about listening to the community and she was there to listen
not to express her views - I trust she was listening. Given Mimmie's stated vision for South Gippsland is that we have vibrant communities in well planned environments governed by an
effective Council and that she is keen to see people take up opportunities to be involved in planning their communities and telling Council what services are important to them one cannot see how she could support the strategy as it stands after hearing from the community of Mirboo North.
Councillor Mohya Davies appeared to be taking a similar line to Councillor Jackson, electing to listen rather than speak. Maybe she had more to say at the meeting in Foster given the Foster pool is also among the ‘unchosen', but I cannot find any reports of this meeting. The council website quotes Councillor Davies as having an interest in the influx of new and ‘lifestyle' residents
settling in our region. She hopes too that she can bring a unified approach of Council working more closely with the community. Well this community has demonstrated it is happy to work with Council on the long term future of the Mirboo North Swimming Pool.
Sadly, Councillor Fawcett is not interested in the question of equity. When we put to him that the strategy is inequitable he told us life is inequitable. He is however very interested in us telling
him how we propose the Shire pays for all the outdoor pools. We have put a proposal to council on facilities renewal at the Mirboo North Pool which included a funding strategy with a significant commitment of community funds from within the town, but since May we have had no satisfactory response.
There are four more councillors who did not have the benefit of hearing what you had to say on Tuesday night and who's views we cannot begin to assess. They need to hear your thoughts by September 9th.
While we do not want to put words in your mouth, to make it easy if you do not have time to write your own letter we've added an insert to this week's paper for you to sign and send to the Shire to express your dissatisfaction at the draft strategy should you wish to do so. We have based this letter on the motion put to the meeting on Tuesday night by Geoff Williamson that was unanimously adopted by the 600 or so people present.
If you wish to edit this letter or write your own you can download details from the pool's website, find us on Facebook, or email the shire direct at council@southgippsland.vic.gov.au
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MN Times Article for Wednesday 9th August 2011
The MIRBOO North Pool Committee would like to thank all those people who came along to the AGM and Public Meeting at the Shire Hall on 27 July. We would especially like to thank those who
contributed to the general discussion and are grateful for the many great ideas that were put forward to both promote and save the pool.
In a fantastic show of unity we had the full Committee remain and renominate for their positions and miracle of miracles, for a town with such an over stretched volunteer base, we had enough new nominations to fill all positions on the Committee as well as to have several of the positions that involve a fair amount of legwork filled with multiple members. This is great news for the fight just beginning.
However, this was just day one and as a Committee we would like to urge you all to red pen, highlight or just underline the date of Tuesday 23rd of August in your calendars and phones. 7.30pm at theShire Hall for our one and only public consultation with our Councillors. Bring yourself, bring the kids and bring your neighbor. We need everyone there to show the Council that the proposed strategy is unfair, discriminatory and unacceptable to the people of Mirboo North.
Thanks again and please read next week for further announcements.
