I am delighted that councillors will consider endorsing concept plans for an outdoor 50 metre pool including change rooms and kiosk, to be built at Drysdale, which will be heated to enable its use all year around.
This stage 1 facility will be a wonderful asset for the north Bellarine community, including over 3,500 students who attend local schools adjacent to the site. It will address an inequity in access to aquatic facilities on the Bellarine and has been designed to service a wide range of uses including lap swimming, water exercise and learn to swim.
The Morrison Liberal Government is proudly delivering $10 million towards this facility and I am very hopeful that council will provide the additional funding that is needed.
With no funding at all from the state government, our government was not going to let this project languish which is why we proposed to construct stage 1 now. If Labor had its way, there would be no pool at all.
State Labor must fund stage 2 of the aquatic facility which I have proposed would include an indoor warm water pool, gymnasium and other facilities. I am very pleased that the pool’s design can be adapted to include a stage 2 expansion.
In suggesting to community members that stage 1 be put on hold, Labor’s Libby Coker shows she is not up to the job. Rather than stirring up division, she should be lobbying her state Labor colleagues for stage 2 funding.
I am urging local residents to sign my petition calling on state Labor to fund stage 2 of the north Bellarine aquatic facility which can be found at https://sarahhenderson.com.au/labor-must-fund-stage-2-of-drysdale-aquatic-facility/
23 April 2021