Supporters of an all-year swimming pool for Batemans Bay can give their desire a dry run this month.
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Campaigners will hold a fun “Dry Swim” on Sunday, August 28, from 10am to 3pm, at the Hanging Rock rugby union fields.
Carolyn Harding said it would be a show of strength for a year-round pool on the former Batemans Bay Bowling Club site.
“We are very excited about the possibility of moving into the old bowling club precinct; whether it is on the old bowling club site or on the present pool site, we are not worried, we just want to get in there,” Mrs Harding said.
She said the purchase and the looming NSW local government elections had revived hopes of a 50-metre pool.
“Hopefully with the new council, they will take that as priority number one and get us in there,” Mrs Harding said. “It gives us an opportunity to prove we need a 50-metre pool.
“With some possibility of new blood on the council, some fresh ideas and perhaps a better understanding of why we need a 50-metre pool, it is definitely worth investigating.”
Mrs Harding said the Batemans Bay Indoor Aquatic Centre committee needed more members.
“We are getting some big turnouts (at) some meetings, and others are smaller,” she said. “We need people to come to the meetings and not be be frightened they will be roped into something they do not want to do. “We need input and ideas.”
Mrs Harding said the Dry Swim would raise awareness and funds.
“We are hoping to get all the different user groups of an aquatic centre together,” she said.
It was also important to make a show of strength to candidates as “they are the ones who are going to make the final decision and get the ball rolling with funding”.
“We are encouraging all user groups, whether sporting, community, for medical reasons, disability, everyone of all ages – we need everyone there, dressed up, having fun and being part of it. If you want a pool, you have to be part of it.”
The committee is also pushing for a hydrotherapy pool for aged users.
“The older generation have been very vocal about what they want,” Mrs Harding said.
“The hydrotherapy pool is absolutely essential … for health, wellbeing and mobility.”
Parents up early to get competitive swimmers to training in Ulladulla would also benefit.
“Parents have just accepted the way things are at the moment, but would certainly be happier not having to get up at 4am to travel up to Ulladulla and back, get the kids off to school, and go to work,” Mrs Harding said.
“It is a big job.”