Mooloolah pool unlikely to open as regulatory, insurance issues play havoc
Insurance woes and ongoing operational challenges will mean Mooloolah Pool is unlikely to open to the public for the second year in a row. Changes to insurance regulations has meant the Mooloolah State School P&C who have traditionally managed the Education Queensland owned facility outside of school hours has been forced to hand operations back to the school. Over the years public access to the Mooloolah Pool has been managed through various volunteer organisations and supported by a community based aquatic facility grant offered by Sunshine Coast Council.
A spokesperson from Mooloolah State School P&C acknowledged this outcome was extremely disappointing for the community; however the association was not prepared to open the pool to the public without adequate insurance. They said not having the pool open over the coming summer months was the least preferred outcome. They also said they understood Council was looking into a ‘work around’ option; however they were unable to provide any confirmation of what that might entail or the time frame involved.
“Because of the insurance issues we obviously can’t manage the pool anymore or engage a third party provider to run it, so the only option is for the school to look at doing something. The school will have to try and work something out with Council and see what they can make happen,” they said.
“While we sincerely hope the pool will be able to open in the foreseeable future, at this stage we are unable to make that call of when that will be.”
A spokesperson from P&Cs Queensland said they were unable to confirm the specifics of the insurance changes.
“P&Cs Qld understands the frustration of the school and P&C to solve this issue. However, is it imperative that all policies and procedures are strictly followed to ensure the safety of students and others who seek to use the school swimming pool,” they said.
