by Cam Lucadou-Wells
Casey Council’s chief administrator has challenged local MPs to “put your money where your mouth is” to complete the long-awaited Doveton Pool in the Park upgrade.
Despite no state or federal funding, the council has gone it alone and announced $7.91 million for Stage 1 works to rebuild the outdoor 50-metre pool.
The parkland and splash pad will be accessible all year, and the toddler’s pools, water slide and Gambetta Room will also be removed.
In 2022, the council stated that the $21 million project was contingent on 50 per cent state and federal funding.
The project will now be staggered across three stages, with stage 1 funded by the council across 2024-’25 and 2025-’26.
Its total cost has been estimated down to $14.7 million, contingent on state and federal funding.
Chair of administrators Noelene Duff told a council meeting on 19 March that it was time for state and federal governments to get behind the project.
“We remind those federal and state members that here is an opportunity to support this community.
“We know there has been a lot of interest. I think it’s ‘put your money where your mouth is’ time.
“We’ve done that here and seek the support of state and federal governments to finalise this into the future.”
Local MPs had backed a fierce public campaign to ‘Save Doveton Pool’ that led Casey to abandon its 2021 plans to replace the pool with parkland.
At the 2022 election, Bruce federal Labor MP Julian Hill pledged that he was “very confident” that the pool upgrade would receive federal funding.
“Progress in saving the pool is incredibly welcome,” he said in reaction to the council’s committed funding.
“I’ve been proud to stand with the community in opposing council’s efforts to close the pool. People power worked!”
Mr Hill urged the council to submit a “high quality application” to an upcoming federal grants program.
“While this is ultimately a local project, funding for a metropolitan sporting and community infrastructure grants program was allocated in the Federal Budget and program arrangements are currently being finalised.
“Of course our Doveton Pool in the Park project will have to compete against all other potential projects nationally as the era of Scott Morrison style rorts where Governments just hand out money to individual projects is over.
“But we’ll give it a red hot go as soon as applications open.”
A spokesperson for Dandenong state Labor MP Gabrielle Williams said: “Any state contribution will be subject to state budget rounds, and Gabrielle has been actively discussing this with council.
“Gabrielle will continue working with council over the coming years in what we understand may be a multi-stage proposal.”
Doveton-Eumemmerring Township Association chair Sean Balfour said the project was now “finally coming to fruition” – with the group hoping to learn further details on the design.
“We don’t need a ‘Mercedes’ that no one wants to use. We just want a ‘Ford’ that everyone wants to use.”
Construction of the project’s first stage will be timed during the pool’s off-season.
The rebuilt pool may include environmentally sustainable design features, such as energy capture and recovery, more efficient electric services, and water use and capture systems.
Future stages will be subject to funding from state and federal governments as well as community feedback, according to a council report.
Stage 2 could include a beach sand pit, plaza, canopy tree planting, upgraded splash pad, playground, outdoor fitness equipment, barbecue, toilets.
Stage 3 will upgrade the pool building.
The latter stages’ combined estimated cost is $6.84 million.
For the past two summers, the outdoor pools has opened on days 25 degrees Celsius and hotter – a reduction from the previous 30-degree temperature trigger.
However, attendances were down. In 43 days of operation in 23-’24, there were 5836 visitations – thought to be due to the lack of extreme heat days.
The Doveton Pool was developed in 1968 after a long campaign of community fundraising in response to drownings in Eumemmerring Creek.
Ms Duff said the pool was an “excellent example of the challenges with respect to infrastructure maintenance and ongoing development that the city faces”.
“It is a very sad facility currently, left in demise for a long time.
“So the community engagement process has been a significant part of the decision making … advocating to us as a council for the facility to remain accessible to the community.”
