Council backflip: Bushy Park swimming pool won't reopen

In a backflip, the Derwent Valley Council has announced that the Bushy Park swimming pool won't reopen.

The announcement comes despite the Council late last year passing a motion to re-open the pool, and seek State Government money to assist.

According to Council, after receiving advice in regards to planning and regulatory requirements, compliance issues have been identified which include:

• The loss of the existing on-site car parking means that the pool no longer complies with the existing use rights and a new planning permit would be required. A minimum of 12 compliant car parking spaces would be needed either on site or on Gordon River Road for the planning permit to meet the car parking discretion.
• The Pool requires formalised vehicle access to meet WHS and DA requirements, which it cannot secure.
• Recent bridgework and related safety improvements also can not be altered or removed.
• A subdivision, to take in adjoining land for the change rooms, cannot be approved unless the land is rezoned and/or vehicle access is provided to the new lot.
• The pool would be prohibited from discharging wastewater into the adjacent river, as there is little chance of securing an EPA permit to allow that historic practice to resume and existing septic and wastewater infrastructure is also non-compliant and requires replacement.

In summary there is no way forward for the pool to comply with the regulatory and planning framework that regulates such matters. 

DV Council went on to say "These are not issues that money can fix and they arise due to a series of unique circumstances, which include the Council Management not taking a more proactive approach to understanding the consequences of DSG’s works when they were first proposed and advocating on behalf of our community."

"The Derwent Valley Council wishes to unreservedly apologise for past public statements that our officers made guaranteeing that the Pool would reopen. Those statements were made without having sought professional advice, nor a full understanding of the associated issues. It is not reflective of how today’s Council wishes to operate."

"Council also apologises for the time it has taken officers to secure the above advice and provide it to the community. Council will hold a community information session in the coming weeks (at Bushy Park) where officers will provide further advice on the above matters".

Potential options moving forward for the area include A splash play area and equipment (for young children), Restoration of the War Memorial, Picnic Tables and/or play/exercise equipment, Potential riverbank rehabilitation and public access to the river.

Mayor Michelle Dracoulis released a statement on Monday night on the matter  "I know many people have feelings about this as I do too. I was part of conversations about reopening the pool next season, I championed it, I read out the representation from the RSL asking that it be reopened. I promised to take my grandkids there this Summer. Last year we were told it was possible and now we have the full professional advice. We also know the pool cannot legally reopen and that’s our reality".

"Some of the issues we’re now dealing with have been there for a long time, and in today’s compliance environment, they can’t be overlooked. The earlier advice didn’t pick all of that up. That’s been acknowledged, and that’s why everything we do now is backed by full advice before making commitments. I know it’s hard to hear but it doesn’t mean nothing can be done here either.

The DVC will have a conversation with the community and look to provide an alternative for everyone, while still honouring the area's war memorial.