By Jennifer Kent
A SWIMMING pool model that has seen both Maleny and Mooloolah Valley pools shut to the public for summer must be fixed, State Member for Glasshouse, Andrew Powell, said. Both pools are owned by the Department of Education and are built on school grounds.
Because of this the pools can only be used by the public outside of school hours and only if operated by a qualified manager. To further complicate matters the management role is seasonal, meaning there is only work during the warmer months. Both pool committees were unable to find a suitable manager for the upcoming season. For Maleny locals it will be the third summer in a row without access to a local pool. Mr Powell said he shared the communities’ frustration and was seeking a meeting with the Education Minister, Grace Grace, to find a practical solution.
“Historically, Queensland has only had a small number of pools located on school grounds,” Mr Powell said.
“My understanding is less than a dozen, and we happen to have two of them in our region.
“Both pools were close to opening, however unfortunately things have fallen through. We need to find a solution.”
With parliament returning next week, Mr Powell shared he would be reaching out to the Minister of Education to discuss what alternatives the department can bring to the table to allow these pools to open once more to the public.
“While we’re on different sides of politics, we have a respectful understanding when it comes to education and our schools,” Mr Powell said. “What we need is innovative and community-minded solutions.
“Conondale has a pool, Kenilworth has a pool, Palmwoods has a pool, Beerwah has a pool… why can’t Maleny and Mooloolah?”
GC&M News contacted the Department of Education for comment, with a spokesperson saying the department’s facilities are able to be used by the community, provided it is not being used by the school, they did not say what assistance the department can provide in securing appropriate pool managers or whether the current model was working.
“The department will work closely with schools to maximise community use opportunities where available,” a spokesperson said.