Council dumps on Glenthompson again with toilet demolition and pool closure

CLOSURE of the Glenthompson Outdoor Swimming Pool has been recommended to the Southern Grampians Shire Council via a management report and has been listed as the first agenda item ahead of next week’s ordinary meeting.

In an executive summary to Council, it states the purpose of the report was to recommend to council to close and decommission the pool.

This has caused great distress among community members who have already expressed their vehement opposition to its closure and flies in direct contrast to what they were told during February’s ordinary council meeting.

What has angered community members was the undertaking that although the closure of the pool was listed for discussion as an item in the Small Towns Strategy - put forward by SGSC wellbeing, planning and regulation director, Rory Neeson, he responded by saying that the document did not recommend to close or fill in the Glenthompson Swimming Pool.

“So, what’s listed there is something to consider,” Mr Neeson said.

“It’s not saying that it will happen.”

Community member, Jenny Rankin who has been vocal in her opposition to its closure said she was speechless it had been listed as an item for next week’s meeting.

“I’m just so angry and appalled,” she said.

“They gave us a bunch of lies - the world is getting warmer - what will we do without swimming pools - children are going to die because they won’t have the opportunity to learn to swim.”

Another vocal community member, Leigh Heard said, “we spend a lot of money on these councils … and they want to spend between $50 and $60 thousand (to decommission the pool)”.

Meanwhile, contractors for the Southern Grampians Shire Council (SGSC) began the demolition of the Glenthompson public toilets on the Glenelg Highway on Thursday.

Council determined at its ordinary meeting on December 13, 2023, that following resident complaints about the failing septic system and sewage effluent it was agreed the toilet block should be knocked down.

Council said there was concern around contamination, and after delegated officers inspected the facility, concluded there was an immediate risk to human health and the surrounding environment.

During the meeting there was passionate debate from councillors with two, Councillors, Katrina Rainsford and Albert Calvano, imploring council to delay the demolition.

Representatives of the Glenthompson community attended the meeting with Ms Rankin making a submission that adequate consultation had not occurred stating that the treatment of the community had been “shabby in the extreme”.

However, SGSC infrastructure and sustainability director, Marg Scanlon addressed the meeting and said it was a fundamental issue of compliance with public health.

At the meeting it was noted that a budget allocation of $250,000 was included in the 2023/2024 Capital Works Program for the development of designs and construction of a new public toilet facility.

Mr Heard said Council was speaking out both sides of its mouth on both issues.

He said he was told by an assessor that the (toilet) “building was not up to standard and not holding up the roof … for goodness’ sake it stood there for 60 years, it’s straight and no cracks or anything in it at all”.

“It just feels like (we’ve) been abandoned out here.

“We’ve put in lots of (sic) money.

“All right, sure, it’s one thing to close the pool or whatever. That’s one thing. But to demolish it … I think it’s vandalism.”

Following the toilet block’s demolition, Ms Rankin expressed her great disappointment at the action taken.

“I really am appalled,” she said.

“Council has pushed through with the demolition of the charming postwar toilet block in Glenthompson, despite protests from the community, despite receiving a petition of over 300 signatures, and despite not being able to produce one shred of evidence that the facility was in any way unsafe. 

“The arrogance is breathtaking, the vandalism appalling.

“I have this to say to the residents of other towns in the shire:  Support us now or Glenthompson’s pool will be the precedent and your pool will be next.”

SGSC was contacted for comment.