Dear Beagle Editor
Eurobodalla Shire Council has:
FAILED to consult with and advocate for the WHOLE community, instead choosing a course of secrecy and deception.
FAILED to be transparent and honest with ratepayers, making decisions behind closed doors.
FAILED to update the financial case for the Mackay Park Aquatic/ Arts Centre.
FAILED to make the case for a $46m Aquatic/Arts Centre without a 50m pool.
FAILED to honour the requirements of its own Community Engagement Framework by excluding significant stakeholders.
FAILED to inform pool stakeholders that the proposal was the 50m pool was to be replaced by a 25m pool when seeking letters of support to accompany their grant applications.
FAILED due process by avoiding public scrutiny of its grant application and blocking its release by NSW Office of Sport. Did council, in its grant application (still pending) advise the Office of Sport that the proposed redevelopment would result in the demolition of Batemans Bay’s only Olympic length swimming pool?
FAILED to honour its undertaking to Member for Bega, Minister Andrew Constance in November 2017, to revise council’s comparative construction and annual running costs and report back to him and the community.
FAILED to make the case for a 25m pool instead of a 50m pool.
FAILED to accept the results of a community survey resulting in 94% supporting a 50m pool and only 6% supporting a 25m pool in the complex at Mackay Park.
FAILED to take into account the big picture with all the ramifications of the proposed new Batemans Bay Bridge, the Mackay Park Precinct redevelopment, the purchase of the Batemans Bay Bowling Club site and the combination of the aquatic centre and the performing arts centre onto one site and the consideration of the Mini Golf business.
FAILED to consult Batemans Bay Swimming Club and the Primary Schools’ Sports Association (representing 11 member schools) regarding the demolition of the 50m pool.
FAILED to properly inform the community the reason Council hurriedly purchased the Batemans Bay Bowling Club in April 2016.
FAILED to action a resolution dated 27th August 2013 in relation to the establishment of an indoor Aquatic Centre at Hanging Rock.
In November 2017 we presented a ‘Brief of Evidence’ to Council and Minister Andrew Constance showing overwhelming support to include a 50m pool in the proposed redevelopment from community, sporting, educational, surf life saving groups, Swimming NSW, professional coaches, trainers, Aboriginal Elders and individual members of the community (copy submitted to Editor).
Submissions on this matter are now open to the public by email to council@esc.nsw.gov.au and close on 31st October 2018.
Batemans Bay will NEVER have a 50m pool again unless the community responds NOW to Council’s invitation to have a say regarding the future of our aquatic centre.
It’s NOW or NEVER!
Fight for Batemans Bay’s 50m Pool
Our Towns Our Say
