We call on QUT to urgently reconsider the proposed closure of the Kelvin Grove campus pool.

We feel this decision fails to take account of community concerns and provides little time for meaningful community input.

While the pool is a QUT asset it has, in effect, operated as a public pool for many years. The decision is untimely and does not appear to acknowledge the extent of community involvement in the time it has been made available to the public. We consider that closing the pool with less than three months notice insufficient.

This pool is a valued resource for the wider Brisbane northside community and supports health, wellbeing, accessibility, and inclusive participation in physical activity.

Pools are widely recognised as important community spaces—places where people exercise, learn essential life skills, and stay connected. They provide benefits that extend well beyond recreation, supporting both physical and mental health.

Why this matters
The pool provides a valuable facility for seniors through its aqua aerobics classes.
In addition, it is used by members of the migrant community learning to swim or seeking to improve their swimming skills. This is crucial for water safety, particularly for those who did not have the opportunity to learn to swim earlier in life. 
It is a valuable facility for rehabilitation, injury recovery, and mental health.
It supports inclusive participation, including people with disabilities and individuals seeking a supportive entry point into physical activity.

It is the only 25m indoor pool on Brisbane’s northside, making it a unique, year‑round facility that cannot be easily replaced. We view the decision to close an indoor pool in a state with one of the highest skin cancer rates in the world disappointing.

Relocating programs to the QUT Gardens Point 50m pool is not a practical alternative for many of our swimming community due to its CBD location, travel barriers, and its unsuitability for many beginner and community-based programs.

In addition, the decision appears to have been made in complete isolation from planning for the Brisbane Olympics in 2032. The swimming community is rife with rumours that the Centenary Pool will close soon for the Olympics preparations. While it is true that Olympics planning is not formally a part of QUT’s remit, it appears poor timing to close the pool now when the future of Centenary is so unclear.

Planning for the future
We recognise that universities must make decisions about how best to use limited space and resources. However, we consider that important community facilities such as this pool should be carefully considered within those plans.

At a time when space is being reallocated, many in the community are concerned that expanded fitness or gym facilities should not come at the expense of accessible, inclusive aquatic infrastructure—particularly when such facilities serve distinct and non‑interchangeable needs.

The Kelvin Grove pool provides services that cannot be replicated by a standard gym environment, particularly for rehabilitation, water safety, and inclusive exercise.

We respectfully ask QUT to:

1. Pause the closure
2. Consult with students, staff, and community users
3. Explore options to retain access to the pool
4. Protect this valuable community asset—keep the Kelvin Grove pool open.