AusLeisure

The Victorian Government has announced that it will invest $350,000 in the Ararat Olympic Outdoor Pool.

The investment is a major win for a local community campaign which has sought to reopen the swimming pool following a 2012 decision by the Ararat Rural City Council to decommission the facility in the face of rising repair costs.

Closed since 2011, in late 2014 the Council agreed to work with the Ararat Olympic Pool Committee to refurbish the pool, committing $450,000 to upgrade the facility.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews, who made a commitment to fund the upgrade in the recent Victorian State election said that the refurbishment will include a new multi-purpose kiosk with change rooms, showers and toilets - an important first step towards reopening the pool.

Premier Andrews explained “the community has worked hard to save this pool (and) we’re giving families of Ararat a facility they can be proud of.”

With what was once projected as a $4 million project reduced in scale to just over $1 million, work is currently underway at the site, with a local contractor engaged to undertake vital maintenance and refurbishing work on the pool as well as installing a new plant room.

Lower image shows community members at a 2013 rally to save the pool.

4th May 2015 - OUTDOOR SEASONAL POOLS UNDER ONGOING THREATS

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21st May 2014 - LANDMARK RESEARCH INTO ECONOMIC AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF AQUATIC AND RECREATION FACILITIES 

4th November 2013 - PARENTS VALUE SWIMMING AND WATER SAFETY LESSONS ABOVE OTHER OUT-OF-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES 

23rd October 2013 - CHILDREN LEARN THE IMPORTANCE OF WATER SAFETY DURING VICTORIAN CHILDREN’S WEEK 

23rd October 2013 - COMMUNITY CAMPAIGN FIGHTS TO REOPEN ARARAT OLYMPIC OUTDOOR POOL

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