LETTER TO THE EDITOR:
I AM extremely disappointed with Wellington Shire Council for further cutting the opening hours of the Maffra Memorial Pool again this season.
I have been a regular lap swimmer at the pool for more than 30 years, and have watched the opening hours steadily reduce, particularly in recent years.
Opening hours significantly reduced last season, with the set temperature for non-guaranteed opening hours increasing from 23 degrees Celsius to 25, and also staff preventing lap swimmers from using the pool when schools were present.
This season, the Maffra pool is opening two weeks later than previous years, and will not have guaranteed opening hours in the afternoon.
Previously, the pool has been open for two hours in the afternoon, regardless of the forecast temperature.
As a shift worker, I regularly swim at this time and see many other regular lap swimmers who are shift workers, retirees, workers who start early, and students.
These afternoon hours are important, as not everybody is able to swim during the guaranteed morning hours of 6am to 8am.
The pool’s extended open hours this season are again based on the forecast temperature being 25 degrees or above.
Based on last year’s actual maximum temperature for Sale (www.accuweather.com), without the guaranteed afternoon opening hours, there will possibly be 15 weekend days when the Maffra pool will not open at all, and it may only open for extended opening hours for 58 of the 108 possible opening days (53 per cent).
There may be 36 weekdays when the pool will only open from 6am to 8am.
I ask Wellington Shire Council to reinstate the afternoon guaranteed opening hours for the Maffra Memorial Pool, as well as the other outdoor pools in the shire, in particular the pools in smaller towns.
Residents of these smaller towns do not have the convenience of swimming in the indoor pool when the outdoor pool is closed, like Sale swimmers to.
Council encourages its residents to maintain a healthy lifestyle, and those that select swimming for fitness should not be penalised.
Residents should not be discouraged from swimming by inconsistent and minimal opening hours.
