As council infighting, allegations of pork-barrelling, heritage concerns and criticism from health organizations escalates, the world’s most beautiful pool has quickly degenerated into a black hole. Now more than $100m over budget and delayed to 2025 at least – residents have taken to social media in protest at this public-private disaster and demand its end as soon as possible.
“Water draws us all,” believes Michael Easton, who recently began exploring local swimming holes with his friend. “From bath tubs to ocean swimming holes – it all holds so much allure for us humans.”
He has visited 68 pools across Sydney and finds it hard to pick just one as his favourite. All pools offer their own distinct personalities; his favorite local pool in Mount Druitt hosts an ingenious ‘Dive In’ event with movies on a big screen during summer, draining and filling for winter iceberg swimming and drain and fill for drain-and-fill swimming sessions during winter iceberg swimming events. Also impressive was Western Sydney pool where asylum seekers gather and push themselves beyond comfort levels into colder waters by swimming together or joining organised groups organized swim sessions at all hours of day or night!
Many of Australia’s ocean pools were established during the 1930s Depression era as councils used unemployment relief money to construct them, according to Ms McDermott. They provided locals with jobs while protecting them from wild coastline and its full force of surf, she says. Many ocean pools sprung up across Australia during this time, such as Mahon Pool in Maroubra or Bronte and Curl Curl beaches up north in NSW and Queensland.
Maintenance costs were costly for these beaches; repairs included roof leakage and crumbling concrete walls requiring extensive upkeep, yet they became cultural icons as people flocked there for swimming, conversation and beachy atmosphere. “People came away from city life’s fast pace for some much-needed relaxation at seaside locations,” according to Ms McDermott.
Nearly 100 such pools still stand today, though no new ones have been constructed for decades. Due to budget cuts forcing councils to reduce opening hours and swimming lessons, experts fear this pushes people toward dangerous rivers, lakes and dams that many drown in – tragic circumstances with lifelong consequences, Ms. McDermott notes. “Drowning can have severe repercussions for an individual as well as their family.”
Coastal Protection Authority is conducting a consultation into local pools, which by law must have barriers around them. But some critics contend it’s insufficient, suggesting councils fund lifeguard services and additional staff, and all pools produce a pool safety report. Furthermore, critics want a national standard with minimum depth and size requirements for swimming pools to make swimming pools safer; an issue with national implications given more than 200 people die from drowning annually across UK waters; consultation runs until November and Ms McDermott hopes it’ll result in stronger policies being put in place.