THE long, slow crawl to a new aquatic centre at Rosebud is now focussed on public reaction to a business case comparing costs associated with building a 25 metre or a 50 metre long pool.
Analysis of the business case presented last week to Mornington Peninsula Shire councillors shows a $700,000 a year deficit if the shire plunges into building the shorter pool – $132,000 a year less than the losses of a 50 metre pool.
The larger pool will also cost an extra $8.6 million to build.
Buildings and open space team leader David Hampton says the 2017/18 budget includes just $591,000 of the estimated $1.8m-$2.4m (seven per cent of construction costs) design and development costs.
He says more money will be sought in the 2018/19 to complete the design and development part of the $25.7m-$34.3m project.
Consultants say the project could attract $5 million through government grants, although Mr Hampton sees this as being at the “lower end of $13 million potential grant opportunities”.
Council’s original plans to build a pool on the foreshore at Rosebud were squashed by the state government and an alternate plan, which led to the shire paying $5.1 million for shops in Wannaeue Place, Rosebud, has also been dropped.
Mr Hampton has now thrown councillors a lifeline to again scramble out of the aquatic centre project by saying contracts for professional fees will “structured” to ensure there are no “ongoing liabilities in the event of the project being abandoned”.
Earlier in his report to council’s 12 December public meeting Mr Hampton acknowledges strong public support for a 50 metre pool (80 per cent of respondents to a council survey), but warns of “a risk of over investment”.
Operating a longer pool would also increase the aquatic centre having a “significantly greater carbon footprint”, cost $45,000 a year more in energy bills and use more water.
Meanwhile, a concerted media campaign has been launched to remind councillors of the community’s preference for a 50 metre pool.
Within one day of councillors deciding to seek public feedback on the aquatic centre’s business case, Rye resident Carol Dickman was busy on Facebook advocating for the longer, more expensive pool.
“Feedback to date is brisk and highly supportive of a 50 metre pool,” she said in a letter to councillors.
“After years of waiting and longing for this development for our community, I am now once again totally frustrated by our councillors’ blocking behaviour.”
Ms Dickman said she regularly swam (at the “inadequate” 25 metre Colchester Rd, Rosebud pool) alongside ratepayers from Mornington, Safety Beach, McCrae, Dromana, Rosebud, Capel Sound, Rye and Sorrento.
She said the Rosebud aquatic centre was a “self-limiting title and some councillors and council officers are therefore not seeing reality”.
“After years of council infighting and procrastination – we went through a recent election and we thought we had finally renewed our council – please get on with this. Do we have to get up yet another petition to prove our need to have what every other community enjoys?
“Be brave and do the right thing for the southern peninsula now and in the future. Support a 50 metre pool.”
Cr David Gill said it was “very important that [councillors] have community comment on the business case”.
“Though I am supportive of the aquatic centre, l am concerned that misleading and exaggerated statements from other supporters will lead to suspicion about cost benefits if council does not follow due process,” Cr Gill said.
“We are assured that this will not delay the time frame as set out by council.”
The shire issued a news release reaffirming “delivery of a municipal aquatic facility at Besgrove St in Rosebud”.
“This business case is a key step in the project planning phase for the Rosebud Aquatic Centre, presenting Council and the community with a detailed analysis of the project,” the mayor Cr Bryan Payne stated.
“We are inviting the community to consider and provide feedback on the business case and the summary of the key findings.
“The community will now have improved capacity to make an informed comment on the financial costs, investment and concepts of the project now that the business case is available.”
The shire says the business case “explores opportunities to reduce annual operating costs of the facility by inclusion of a gymnasium or other high yielding program spaces, opportunities for renewable energy and details council’s preliminary project funding options”.
“We understand this project will benefit many people in the community and to progress the delivery of the aquatic facility, council will now begin detailed design development for the 25-metre indoor and the 50-metre indoor pool options.
“Completion of the project design phase will enhance council’s capacity to attract state and federal government grants, and give more certainty to project financing and estimates of project cost.”
The business case is open for public comment until Wednesday 28 February 2018 at mornpen.vic.gov.au/haveyoursay or by filling out a form at one of the shire offices. Email questions to: rosebudpool@mornpen.vic.gov.au
First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 19 December 2017
