Pool report delay slammed

THE Yarra Ranges Council is still waiting on an engineering report for the Olinda Pool, as council confirmed the pool would not reopen until next summer.
The pool was closed without warning in December after irreparable cracks were found.
At last month’s council meeting, the gallery was full of supporters of the pool, led by its champion John Faull.
Speaking at the meeting, Mr Faull thanked the council for a very comprehensive report, but said residents didn’t entirely agree with it.
“We would like to remind council that the pool was given to them at little or no expense and we believe that very little or nothing has been spent on it, hence its condition,” Mr Faull said.
“Four months ago council knew the pool had a problem, four months later they still have not received the final engineers’ report.
“We believe we have been treated like second-rate citizens to be deprived of a facility that was operating prior to this.”
Mr Faull asked to speak with council officers to investigate the number of options available out there.
“We have become incorporated as Friends of the Olinda Swimming Pool. We feel we really need that facility up there,” he said.
Councillor Jason Callanan said he was concerned about how long the report had already taken.
Councillors agreed that consultation occur prior to July 2014 with the broader community on future options for the Olinda Pool as recommended in Council’s Aquatic Facilities Strategy.