Have your say about our pool!

Now is the time to have your say about the Coburg Olympic Swimming Pool we all know and love. Read the comments too - I think a lot of us have similar concerns, opening times, water temperature, shade, how fabulous it is... Please speak up and ask your friends to have their say too.

Moreland City Council is developing and Aquatic and Leisure Strategy to help guide the future of the service for the next 10 years and beyond. This will provide a strategic document for the planning, provision and direction of Council's six aquatic and leisure facilities.

This will help guide:

• How we prioritise planned maintenance/ renewal works

• How we prioritise future investment in to facilities

• How we provide health and wellness services

• How we provide safe and accessible facilities

• How we provide cost efficient and finacially sustainable facilities.

Throughout the development of the strategy there will be a number of opportunities for everyone to have their say.

More info here.

Coburg Olympic Pool closed for two weeks

Moreland city Council have advised that the repair of the circulation pump at the Coburg Olympic Swimming Pool is taking longer than previously anticipated due to uncontrollable delays in procuring specialist parts for the pump. Council and the YMCA anticipate that repairs will be completed in the next two weeks, after which several days will be needed to return the pool’s water to the desired quality and clarity.

In the meantime, they are encouraging members and pass holders of the Coburg Olympic Swimming Pool to make use of Moreland’s other aquatic facilities, including those nearby at Pascoe Vale and Oak Park. Coburg Olympic season pass holders are also able to use all aquatic facilities until the end of the month. Moreland residents are encouraged to visit activemoreland.com.au for updates on the pool’s reopening and details of our other aquatic and leisure facilities.

Unfortunately, the delay in repairing the pump has resulted in the cancellation of the Family Fun Day scheduled at the Coburg Olympic Swimming Pool on Sunday, January 15. Family Fun Days will be held at Oak Park Aquatic Centre on Sunday, January 22, and Fawkner Leisure Centre on Sunday, January 29.

The Ride to Pool Day at Coburg Olympic Swimming Pool, organised by Friends Of Coburg Pool in partnership with Active Moreland and Council, will be still held on Sunday, February 19, 2012.

Temporary closure of Coburg Outdoor Pool

The Coburg Olympic Swimming Pool is currently closed for urgent maintenance on the pump. 

Specialist contractors are working to fix the problem as soon as possible, and Moreland City Council expect the pool to reopen sometime in the week beginning 9th January 2012.  Read about it on the Moreland Council website here.

Outdoor Pools, Hot and Cold Weather Policy

by Janet Grigg 
Here is the City of Moreland's Hot and Cold Weather Policy for Outdoor Pools. It can be found on the council's website here, scroll down to Outdoor Pools. In view of the pool's closing times on the last two very hot nights, it makes interesting reading.
Policy - Outdoor Swimming Pools - Hot & Cold Weather (1)
A couple of points come to mind after being shunted out of the pool, along with many other patrons enjoying a cool dip, at 6 o'clock on two successive nights when the temperature was well over 32C. It would have been really lovely to have dinner at the pool and stay there until about 8. This wave of hot weather has been forecast by the Bureau of Meteorology in the seven day weather forecast. It has arrived as predicted and was not a surprise, so there was plenty of time to plan staffing.  Sure it was a public holiday, but the policy does not say that the pool can only be open late on weeknights or similar. The policy also talks about outdoor pools being primarily used as recreational venues and that opening and closing times should be responsive to community demand. The demand was certainly there tonight and last night. I wonder if the pool will be open late tomorrow night?

Opening hours policy for hot and cold weather

The Moreland Council hot and cold weather policy can be found on the Moreland City Council website here - scroll down and look for Outdoor Pool Hot and Cold Weather Policy. As we can't link to it directly, here is another way to read it.

Policy - Outdoor Swimming Pools - Hot and Cold Weather


Due to community pressure, the normal weekday opening closing time for the pool has been extended to 7.00pm. However, there is scope for the pool to be open even later in hot weather and to quote from the opening hours policy for hot and cold weather, "the planning trigger for considering extension of hours for the next day is when the Bureau of Meteorology weather forecast at mid afternoon for the next day is for a 32 degrees Celsiusm aximum or higher. This forecast will be monitored early each day to determine if there has been significant change of forecast on the day.The trigger for extension of evening hours on any day is when the temperature is 32 degrees Celsius or higher at 4pm according to the latest Bureau of Meteorology weather observationson that day, and there is reasonable patronage in the water (greater than 25 patrons one hour prior to usual scheduled closing) and numbers in the water are maintained at 25 or more. The rationale for specifying patronage ‘in the water’ is to avoid extension of hours simply because patrons want to remain in the grounds, without using the pools.When extension of hours is not feasible due to staffing constraints and/or occupational health and safety issues, including inadequate lighting, consultation must occur no later than 5pm on the day extension of hours is being considered between the centre manager and Council’s Aquatic Facilities Unit."

So basically, when the forecast is for more than 32C and there are at least 25 people in the pool, then extended opening hours need to be considered.