Page 5193 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 27 October 2010
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The government agreed with this in 2008. Mr Barr was out there advocating this in 2008. I look forward to hearing what has changed since that time. The people of Gungahlin needed it then, but it seems that now he is stepping away from that commitment. In fact, he has stepped away from that commitment to a 50-metre pool.
The people of Gungahlin have raised significant objections. I would like to acknowledge the important role here played by Mr Alan Kerlin, the former President of the Gungahlin Community Council, who has long been a strong advocate for a 50-metre pool in Gungahlin. I will quote from the GunSmoke paper which is distributed by the Community Council:
In the lead-up to the 2008 ACT election, Gungahlin was promised a $20 million aquatic centre, including 50 and 25-metre pools.
This was in line with very clear campaigning over several years by GCC—
the Gungahlin Community Council—
based on community surveying that a 50-metre pool was needed, and that people were prepared to wait rather than accept just a 25-metre pool.
Well we have waited, but in recent weeks we’ve received an indication that the now renamed Aquatic and Leisure Centre will include many things but not a 50-metre pool! Gymnasium, sports medical services, and more have been deemed by the authorities as more “commercially viable”. They have had a feasibility study done that says you can’t run a 50-metre pool at a profit.
But since when has a local municipality providing core community services been about profits?
It goes on further to say:
Families would also know that the sport of swimming deserves a far higher prominence in our schools. In other parts of the country, kids train all year to get ready for summer swimming competitions that bring the school together …
And so on. He has been a strong advocate, he is in touch with the community and I think that he has made a strong case.
There have been various letters written to Mr Barr, and I know because I have been copied into a couple of them. No doubt he has received many more, but I would like to quote from what some of the residents of Gungahlin are saying in communications directed at Mr Barr. This is what one resident says:
Dear Mr Barr,
I have just read the Gun Smoke magazine article which mentions that you are not going to honour the 2008 election promise of a 50 metre swimming pool, instead building a 25 metre pool.
We are waiting for a response from the government on that. The resident continues:
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