Aquatic and recreation facilities pitch in to help during East Coast flood crisis

March 3, 2022

Aquatics / Environment / Recreation / Safety /

Aquatic and recreation are facilities have risen to meet the challenge of the flood disaster in Queensland and NSW, offering a safe haven for evacuees.

While their contribution to health and wellbeing as a sport venue is well-recognised, less well known is the invaluable community role they play during disasters.

In the hardest hit areas of Queensland and NSW, aquatic and recreation centres have been turned into evacuation centres.

They offer more than just a safe place to sleep, with staff and volunteers supporting individuals and families as they come to terms with the traumatic events, including the loss of much-loved community members.

This social and human infrastructure is critical to help pull communities through the crisis.

Speaking of the role that the aquatic industry is playing in emergency relief, Royal Life Saving National Manager - Aquatics, RJ Houston said the industry are good in a crisis and keen to play their part in response and recovery.

“During an emergency the local relief centre, often the aquatic facility, transforms what is normally space for recreation into temporary emergency housing, camp kitchens and information centres.

“Much of this effort is led by volunteers from the facility’s workforce, the wider Council and other agencies.”

Once communities start to emerge from the immediate crisis and the focus shifts to recovery, aquatic centres will need to work through their own recovery strategy.

Brad Page, Coordinator of Regional Leisure Venues at Moreton Bay Council, says many local businesses including swimming pools and swim schools may need significant work in order to reopen, commenting “two of our facilities, Settlement Lagoon and Dayboro Pool, were completely inundated and are expected to remain closed for some time while repairs and cleaning occur.

“Our remaining facilities are currently engaged in cleaning, treating the water, removing waste and assessing assets for damage before reopening to the public.”

Speaking of the impacts to the aquatic industry and the community, Royal Life Saving Chief Executive, Justin Scarr says community infrastructure like aquatic and recreation centres, their staff and local volunteers are playing a critical role.

Scarr added “for communities and an industry already battered by two and half years of smoke, fires, the COVID-19 pandemic, worker shortages and now another 100-year flood event a decade after the last, this is another significant strain on the human and fiscal reserves needed to bounce back.

“What is clear is that community infrastructure, like aquatic facilities, can play an important role in disaster risk reduction and community resilience. We acknowledge and thank the aquatic industry workers and volunteers who are supporting communities across the East Coast.”

Image: In Lismore, Goonellabah Sports and Aquatic Centre’s basketball Court turned into a temporary hostel for those displaced. Video taken showing floods outside the Dayboro Swimming Pool.

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