Peakhurst West Swimming Pool

Hansard ID: HANSARD-1323879322-149347

Hansard session: Fifty-Eighth Parliament, First Session (58-1)

Peakhurst West Swimming Pool

Mr MARK COURE (Oatley) (20:29:06):

I inform the House about the current status of the Peakhurst West swimming pool, which has served our local community for decades, and which this Labor Government wants to get rid of. Built in 1961 and funded by the community and the school's P&C association, the pool is an important piece of local infrastructure. In fact the majority of funding was collected by volunteers from the school's P&C and the wider community, who went door to door every day for months, if not close to a year, collecting spare change from residents who wanted to see the pool built.

Whilst the pool is currently owned and operated by the Department of Education and was previous managed by a private company called BlueFit, it is still used by hundreds if not thousands of local residents and several community groups each and every week. On any given day there could be a number of activities taking place at the pool, such as swimming lessons, fitness classes and competitive swimming programs. It is a place where, over the years, many local kids learnt to swim, parents and peers sat in the grandstand to cheer others on at swimming carnivals, and many people made friends for life. The conversations that happened in and around the swimming pool at Peakhurst West were no doubt the start of many lifelong friendships.

On 5 December last year, residents were informed that the pool would be closed until further notice. Many people who used the pool did not even know that it had been closed until they showed up for practice on the Saturday morning. Locals were frustrated and confused, and rightly so. They felt as if they had been absolutely blindsided by the Government. Families were left without a place for their children to learn water safety, and local fitness groups and swimming programs were disrupted mid-season. For me, and for many members of our community, it was personal. It is the pool where I learnt to swim as a kid. I always looked forward to my weekly swimming lessons at the Peakhurst West swimming pool with local legend Rose Agius. Decades later I watched my son swim his first laps in the same pool, under the same teacher. It was a very proud moment for me as a parent. That is why the pool's closure struck an emotional chord with the community.

The pool served and continues to serve many generations in our community. I am proud to say that when the Government made the decision to close the pool, the community did not stay silent. We banded together, signing petitions, writing letters and sharing stories on social media and, I must say, it certainly paid off. Thanks to the strength of our campaign, the Peakhurst West swimming pool reopened shortly after it had initially closed. It was a victory for common sense, a victory for our community and proof that we are stronger when we work together. I thank Georges River Council for putting pressure on the New South Wales Government. I particularly thank Mayor Elise Borg, Deputy Mayor Nancy Liu, Councillor Peter Mahoney and Councillor Matt Allison for their wonderful support.

Whilst we celebrate that victory today, we know that the fight is not over. It is obvious that the Government has no interest in keeping this vital piece of community infrastructure around. It is now up to our community to make sure that funding is provided to keep the pool accessible for generations to come. Therefore I am calling on the Government to commit to a full upgrade and long-term maintenance plan for the pool, with community consultation and transparency regarding any proposed changes. We want to see better facilities, improved lighting, and new and upgraded change rooms. Those essential upgrades will mean that the pool can continue to operate for many years to come. Our community will not rest until we know for certain that the swimming pool is here to stay. I am already receiving emails each and every day from constituents who have joined our campaign. I have had over 900 people sign my petition. The Peakhurst West swimming pool was built by the community, for the community, and it is only right that it continues to serve current and future generations.