Polo Pool Gets The Go Ahead

Community representation wasn't enough to sway the Manly Independent Assessment Panel which approved Manly Council's  development application to replace the popular 25 metre outdoor swimming pool with a purpose- built polo pool at the Boy Chartlon Swim Centre.

Addressing the Panel, concerned residents and regular users of the pool cited the detrayal they felt by Manly Council's backflip after they had publicly reassured residents  that the 25 metre pool would be retained as part of the $15million redevelopment of the Swim Centre.

Main issues raised were the lack of community consultation (the DA was lodged on December 23 when most people were on holidays); claims that the DA was not displayed at the Swim Centre until the date for submissions had close; the reduction in on-site parking with the new development;  increased patronage; lack of public transport to the Centre and disbelief that the Council proposed  to replaced a well-used community pool with a deep-water polo pool that would not be suitable for young children, swimming lessons or rehabilitation patients who currently use the 25 metre pool it will replace.

Water Polo has become a major sport on the Northern Beaches with some 300 members currently training in the evenings using the existing 50 metre pool at the swim centre.

Funding is yet to be found for the building of the polo pool.

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