Winter in Newcastle sees the total closure of all 5 of our inland pools, the largest of which is Lambton Pool. These seasonal closures deprive our community of essential facilities which water polo teams, squad swimmers, freedivers and the general public depend on for exercise, recreation, and social engagement. The petition calls on Bluefit, who manages the inland pools, and the Newcastle City Council, who owns them, to provide our community with year-round access to Lambton Pool.

Understanding the Problem

The annual closure of the inland pools at Lambton, Mayfield, Stockton, Wallsend, and Beresfield forces huge numbers of pool goers to seek alternative facilities. Last winter, Charlestown Pool, which is managed by the Lake Macquarie City Council, struggled to keep up with the demands of displaced squad and water polo teams, freedivers, and lap swimmers in need of appropriate facilities. On more than one occasion, the staff at Charlestown pool had to turn people away, many of whom had travelled from across the city, because there was simply not enough room. Demand for aquatic facilities has risen dramatically since then and is only growing.

Impact on Our Community

Closing pools during winter not only disrupts our routines but also negatively impacts our health and wellbeing. Regular swimming has been proven to increase cardiovascular health and reduce stress, which is particularly important during winter when physical activity and mental health are known to suffer a decline. Therefore, access to aquatic facilities is vital to supporting the mental and physical health of our community over the winter months.

These seasonal pool closures also dramatically impact the lives of the staff who work at these facilities. Being unable to work for 3 months of the year means many have to seek alternative work over winter, and often do not return. Our lifeguards and pool management staff deserve job security and our community deserves a familiar face at our local pool.

If we aim to nurture world-class athletes in Newcastle, it is essential to provide year-round access to appropriate facilities. It's important to recognize that squad programs, water polo teams, freedivers, and swimmers all use these shared facilities and depend on them to maintain their training regimes and communities. Ensuring year-round access to Lambton Pool will maintain and strengthen our diverse sporting communities and support the growth and success of aspiring athletes.

Proposed Solution: Year-Round Access to Lambton Pool

Bluefit, Newcastle City Council, and relevant authorities should take immediate action to address our community's needs by:

• Committing to Year-Round Operation of Lambton Pool: Bluefit should commit to keeping Lambton Park War Memorial Swimming Centre open year-round from 2025, ensuring continuous access to swimming facilities for our community, in particular the outdoor 50m lap pool and diving pool.

Lambton is the Logical Choice for a Year-round Facility

Lambton Pool boasts the highest rates of attendance among the five Council-owned inland pools in Newcastle, with attendance increasing 33% in the 2023-24 season when compared to the previous year. Additionally, its central location makes it easily accessible, being within a 15-minute drive of over 224,000 residents. With Lambton Pool's existing solar heating technologies, coupled with Newcastle’s mild climate with average winter temperatures rarely falling below 7°C, the pool can be comfortably used year-round.

Year-round access to aquatic facilities is easily achievable; one need only look at Charlestown Swim Centre, which keeps their outdoor 50m and 25m Lap pools heated and open year round. Orange NSW is another example; even with its colder winter temperatures reaching lows of 2°C and a population less than one quarter the size of Newcastle, the Orange Aquatic Centre offers year-round access to its indoor facilities. If a smaller, country town like Orange can provide year-round swimming opportunities, surely a coastal city like Newcastle, with its milder climate and larger population, should prioritise providing similar access to its citizens through investment in exisiting and additional public aquatic facilties.

How YOU Can Help

You can help by adding your name to this digital petition and sharing it with your friends, dive buddies, squad members, or teammates. Send a clear message to Bluefit and the Newcastle City Council: KEEP LAMBTON POOL OPEN!

Together, we can make our voices heard in calling for Bluefit to provide year-round access to Lambton Pool, ensuring access to this vital resource for the sake of our health, wellbeing, and sporting communities. Now and into the future.