Got to be in it to win it, says Phillip Island pool group

THE Bass Coast Shire Council has come under fire for not attending a key sports facility event in Melbourne, on Friday, July 7, an Aquatic Centre Hypothetical staged by renewable energy consultants, Negawatt Projects.

With two projects on its books, at an estimated cost of $94.6 million, requiring $79.3 million in government funding, and potentially with $100s of millions slouching around for sports facilities after the Commonwealth debacle, you’d have thought Bass Coast would be there according to Phillip Island lobby group, the Phillip Island Aquatic Centre Fund Inc.

“Surf Coast Council, Yarra Ranges, Warrnambool, Shepparton, East Gippsland Council and City of Ballarat Council were some of the councils who attended, why not Bass Coast?” asked PIACF secretary Peter McMahon, who attended the event with PIACF president Don Turner.

“As an interested group we attended and heard many innovative ideas about how you can build these centres a lot more efficiently these days, and with a lot less in ongoing costs.

“We’ve contacted the shire and passed on the meeting notes,” he said, with the following remarks:

“We know that soon you will be considering all things aquatic and recreational and thought you may find the attached interesting.

“Everyone at the workshop was in a similar position that you find yourselves in today, all searching for the same cost pressure answers.

“It was unfortunate the shire wasn’t represented, we are both sure it may have made your decisions easier to make, had you been there.”

A complete list of those municipalities which attended to hear a range of highly qualified and industry-connected people are: Surf Coast Council, Yarra Ranges Council, Whitehorse Council, Warrnambool Council, Shepparton Council, Moonee Valley Council, Mildura Council, Mitchell Shire Council, Merri-Bek Council, Maribyrnong Council, Manningham Council, East Gippsland Council, City of Yarra Council, City of Kingston Council, City of Casey Council, City of Ballarat Council and Cardinia Shire Council.

Many of these councils are also in the hunt for aquatic centre funding.

Acting Mayor Cr Rochelle Halstead has promptly written back to the Phillip Island group, acknowledging receipt of their notes.

“In total there were 106 attendees, from a large cross section of councils and aquatic facilitators from around Australia, New Zealand and the UK,” said Mr McMahon.

“Several speakers questioned how we do things today, what we should be looking for in the future and posed question and provided information about updates in the industry.

“A major focus of this meeting was achieving positive Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD) outcomes.

“The UK representative provided facts and figures showing that the Passive House designed aquatic centre they built operates more effectively with lower energy costs. A representative from NZ identified ways to operate centres and reduce climate change variables.

“Many more ideas were discussed and are available from the convener of the Hypothetical, Negawatt Projects Derek Harbison,” he said.

Mr McMahon didn’t apologise for lobbying for the Phillip Island aquatic centre to be built first, if the shire had to stage its two-centre plan, as the island’s centre already shaped as the most cost effective.

‘”It makes sense to build the one that’s going to have the best outcome in terms of on-going costs, but we feel sure the shire could save money both on the build and on-going if they revisited their plans in response to these new findings.

All might not be lost.

Negawatt Projects has advised that a report is being produced.”

“Information from the event will be used to produce a comprehensive guide for councils, engineers and architects who are planning to build high performing aquatic centres,” Negawatt Projects said this week.