On Monday night, NBN Aired a very short segment on the Council's announcement that they will soon be starting the community consultation process with regards to potential additional facilities at Lambton Pool. This is following the private company Bluefit being awarded another 7 year lease of the Newcastle Inland Pools, including Lambton Pool. 

My response to this announcement on NBN and later on ABC Radio, was to first acknowledge that this is a good move on behalf of the council, but also highlight that this will not address our community’s immediate need for year round facilities. 

Not only are the artist impressions of the proposed indoor facilities insufficient to meet demand (only two 25m lanes are visible in a largely concreted indoor space, you can view the image in a recent article by the Newcastle Herald), but looking at similar council projects, the consultation process, planning and construction of this proposed new facility will likely take years. 

We need year round access to Lambton pool from 2025.

It is important for us to continue to push for better outcomes for our community, which would see the 50m lap pool at Lambton operating in a similar fashion as the one at Charlestown Swim Centre; outdoors and open year round. 

While investment in the facilities at Lambton Pool is welcomed, we need investment in the existing pool infrastructure in order to address the immediate needs of our growing aquatic community.

There are two fronts now where your voice is needed: 

• Keep pushing for investment in current infrastructure to convert Lambton pool to a year round facility by sharing this petition!
• Have your say in the design of the proposed additions to Lambton pool, so that they are responsive to our needs as a community.

Community consultation on the proposed additions will open in August, and I will be sure to update you when this happens so that you can use your voice to have a say. But in the meantime, maintain dialogue about Lambton Pool with friends, colleagues, and direct people towards our petition. 

Lets see real and immediate change actioned by the Council in response to our combined voices, not vague promises for a distant future.

Thank you for your ongoing support, your contributions matter and have made all the difference in starting this dialogue to KEEP LAMBTON POOL OPEN!

Ellen - PADI Freediving Instructor (Selkie Freedivers)