The Moruya War Memorial Swimming Pool is set to stay near the Moruya River, says Eurobodalla Shire Council . Photo Alex Rea.
Eurobodalla Shire Council has moved to allay fears over a proposal to move a community pool.
The council is currently running consultation over the future of Moruya Riverside Park and Reserves.
As the area is Crown land, Eurobodalla Shire Council (ESC) has to prepare specific plans to manage the site, which includes Russ Martin Park, Moruya War Memorial Swimming Pool, Moruya Riverside Park and Ryans Creek Reserve.
Moruya Business Chamber president Rob Pollock said documents seen by the chamber in-person included a suggestion the pool be moved to Gundary Sports Park, while an online survey did not mention a move.
“[The area] has some other sporting facilities – hockey fields, soccer fields, etcetera – and that was their excuse about that,” he said.
He said the community fundraised the money for the pool, which was dedicated as a memorial in the 1960s.
“It was funded by the people here in Moruya, so it holds special significance,” he said.
“I think it’s a mistake to try and move it, considering the emotion [around it] and what it means to a lot of the elderly people in the town.”
Plans are being prepared for a section of land near Moruya’s town centre, and off the river. Photo: Eurobodalla Shire Council.
He urged ESC to be transparent about any changes to local facilities.
“This is just a draft plan. We realise that this is not set in stone, but people need to be able to make comment regarding [what is put forward],” he said.
“Not having the full knowledge or the facts in front of you, you’re a little bit hoodwinked when you’re making a submission as to what you believe the park will look like.”
ESC’s director of community, arts and recreation Kathy Arthur pushed back on claims a move was on the cards.
She said there were no fixed proposals around the pool and there would be further consultation as the plans were developed.
“We’re just simply saying this particular facility [the pool] is getting to the end of its life sometime in the next five to 10 years, quite frankly – certainly not in the next five years.
“We need to think about that. … The reason we included that as a part of a discussion point was just to be transparent, really, and flag it as something to think about.”
Once completed, the plans would guide council’s management and use of the sites for the next decade.
She also said the survey and in-person sessions were designed to collect a range of information and ideas from the community.
“We didn’t include questions about moving the pool in the survey, because we’re not actually planning to move the pool,” she said.
“[It’s not that] we’re going to, somehow, sneak in [a move] … it was just a prompt to say, here’s a whole range of more detailed ideas, because you’ve actually come in person.”
Mr Pollock also said the chamber was calling for a series of other changes at Moruya’s Riverside Park, suggesting extra parking for caravans and RVs, new lighting installed or a cycleway and walking loop along the Moruya River.
The survey can be accessed online until 4 August. According to council’s website, a draft plan of management is expected to be finished by October.
