HORSHAM Aquatic Centre will trial new operating hours for its outdoor pool.
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Horsham Rural City Council received a petition of 41 signatures requesting for outdoor pool hours to be consistent for the entire pool season.
The current outdoor pool season starts on the third Monday of November and finishes on March 31. The pool opens during the same hours as the indoor facilities during January.
When the temperature is forecast to be over 35 degrees, the hours of the outdoor pool are extended to 8pm if requested and the YMCA opens it at noon during the shoulder season.
The petition to council expressed the resident’s frustrations towards the inconsistent hours of the outdoor pool.
It noted council’s investment in the outdoor and argued that expanding the pool hours would allow a better use of the investment.
Community services director Kevin O’Brien advised council at its meeting on Monday to trial an extension of the outdoor pool hours from the third week in November until the end of December.
The hours for the February to end of March season would be the same as the current January outdoor pool hours.
He made the recommendation that the outdoor pool be operational when the forecast temperature was 24 degrees and above.
Mayor Pam Clarke said she understood the frustration of the petitioners towards the current outdoor pool hours.
“If we want to attract people to our community, they need to know when the pool will be open,” she said.
Councillor David Grimble said the outdoor pool was a great facility for the community.
“If we lost our outdoor pool it would be at the determent of our community,” he said.
Council has referred an amount of $8,609.84 to the 2018-19 budget for this trial.
Councillors will be provided a future report on the outcome of the trial.