Save Coburg Olympic Pool

"Pools proposal irks MP"

2018-04-17T15:43:00.002+10:00

Friends of Coburg Olympic Pool thank Lizzie Blandthorn for writing to Moreland City Council regarding their Draft Aquatic Strategy 2018-38 and in particular about the two outdoor pools including Coburg Olympic Swimming Pool. Lizzie highlighted the seemingly cursory treatment of our outdoor pools in the Strategy recommendations.

Friends of Coburg Olympic Pool was actively involved in the consultation for the draft strategy including:
• attending a focus group for the Coburg pools
• encouraging locals to get involved in the Our Say interactive portal
• asking on the Friends of Coburg Olympic Pool Facebook page what people wanted and working with Council to ensure they were reading the large volume of considered comments.

Throughout all the of various consultation processes the strong message coming through was that our wonderful pool needs to be heated to maximise its use. However reading the Strategy it was as if the consultation didn’t occur. Even though the background paper says the pool is near the end of its life, there is no vision or planning for anything at all for the pool, let alone heating, over the next TWENTY years.

We note the social media strategy for Active Moreland pools doesn’t include Coburg Olympic Pool. We want to see proactive planning and promotion for our well loved pool not merely reactive repairs.

The twenty year ‘plan’ seems to be to watch the physical decline of the pool and patch up when necessary. This is not good enough.

Good to see this was covered on page 5 of this week’s Moreland Leader.

EMAIL MORELAND LEADER:
moreland@leadernewspapers.com.au

READ:
AQUATIC AND LEISURE STRATEGY 2018-38
BACKGROUND PAPER

Have your say about our pool!

2017-07-15T14:13:00.003+10:00

Now is the time to have your say about the Coburg Olympic Swimming Pool we all know and love. Read the comments too - I think a lot of us have similar concerns, opening times, water temperature, shade, how fabulous it is... Please speak up and ask your friends to have their say too.

Moreland City Council is developing and Aquatic and Leisure Strategy to help guide the future of the service for the next 10 years and beyond. This will provide a strategic document for the planning, provision and direction of Council's six aquatic and leisure facilities.

This will help guide:

How we prioritise planned maintenance/ renewal works

How we prioritise future investment in to facilities

How we provide health and wellness services

How we provide safe and accessible facilities

How we provide cost efficient and finacially sustainable facilities.

Throughout the development of the strategy there will be a number of opportunities for everyone to have their say.
More info here.

Swimming lessons

2016-12-13T22:19:00.001+11:00

School's out Pool Party!

2016-12-13T22:17:00.000+11:00

Ride to Pool Cancelled!

2014-03-14T09:58:00.004+11:00

The RIDE TO POOL event planned for 16th of March 2014 at the Coburg Olympic Swimming Pool has been CANCELLED due to the cold weather forecast. As the season ends soon, Ride to Pool won't be happening this summer. Hopefully we will have better luck next season!

Thanks to Active Moreland, Coburg Olympic Swimming Pool and Moreland City Council's Sustainable Transport officer for working with us on the planning.

Thanks to the all important performers who would have been, if it weren't for the weather: Short Order Schefs, The Shambelles , DJ Eddy and The Obvious Creatures.

Thanks to The Spokesman on Gilbert who had been willing to do free bike repair on the day.

Thanks also to Treadlie, ByK Kids Bikes, Rays Bicycle Centre Brunswick and The Squeaky Wheel for support and promotion.

Historic Coburg Olympic Pool Foyer to be redeveloped

2014-02-21T23:02:00.000+11:00

How important is the retro sixties modernist design of the Coburg Olympic Swimming Pool Foyer and the landscaping of the pool to you?

Moreland Council is planning to upgrade the foyer of the Coburg Olympic Swimming Pool. A representative of Friends of Coburg Olympic Pool met with City of Moreland planners and the architect to go over possible plans for the renovation. While FCOP is pleased that the City of Moreland are planning to improve the usability of the pool entry foyer, we are very concerned about the way that the proposed remodel interacts with the unique 60s modernist entry. The heritage significance statement for the Coburg Olympic swimming Pool (see page 109) identified the swimming pools, the landscaped setting and the ‘modernist entry building, including the interior’ as features of Coburg Olympic Swimming Pool that should have heritage controls. There is still scope within the proposed heritage overlay to allow for the pools and buildings to be used and for modern amenities to be incorporated.

The Coburg Olympic Swimming Pool complex was recommended for inclusion on the local heritage overlay by a series of experts in 2011. The experts included a heritage consultant hired by Moreland Council, council planning staff, and the Planning Panels Victoria tribunal. However the Moreland City Councillors removed the Coburg Olympic Swimming Pool from the list to be included in the heritage overlay and therefore the pool does not have the recommended legal protection.

While the Friends of Coburg Olympic Pool support the aims of the planned upgrade to the foyer - to facilitate more staff in the entrance and kiosk, improved storage to offer a wider range of food for sale – the Friends are in the process of providing feedback to Moreland Council about retaining as much of the heritage fabric as possible. This includes the importance of retaining the retro 1960s ambience of the entrance and not distracting from the distinctive modernist design. We believe that Moreland Council should obtain advice from the council Heritage Advisor on the Coburg Olympic Swimming Pool project to enable the usability aims of the foyer redesign to go ahead without compromising the heritage significance of the site. We will keep the wider group up to date with discussions and welcome comments on the proposed re-design of the foyer.

Please let us know what you think by commenting below, on our Facebook page or by email to savecoburgolympicpool@gmail.com.

New Coburg Olympic Pool t-shirt!

2014-02-08T13:13:00.003+11:00

Hi there local pool lovers

I am going to print t shirts with a new Coburg Olympic Pool design above on them on Tuesday (11/02).
They will be available to buy from Friends of Coburg Olympic Pool at Ride To Pool Day, Sunday 16th Feb, at the pool, for $15.00 each.
But, if people have their own plain white or black cotton tops that they would like printed on they can contact me karenlokerse@hotmail.com to get my address and leave them on my front porch.
I will need to have them by Tuesday 7.30 am (as weather forecast so far predicts not too hot to print on that day..)
As we do this as a fund raiser for Ride to Pool Day to pay for the bands etc, it will cost $5.00
to print the design on your t shirt. Please write your name in the tag and also pin your name and contact details (and $ in an envelope) to the t shirt so that you can get them back when done. We also have a way to invoice you using Paypal but you would still need to get the t-shirts to me by Tuesday morning.
Thanks
Karen

Coburg Olympic Swimming Pool Survey

2014-01-20T23:11:00.002+11:00

Coburg Olympic Swimming Pool have launched a survey about our pool on their Facebook page. It's a chance for pool users to voice their opinions about what they like and don't like about our wonderful local pool. I also couldn't help adding a comment to the actual Facebook post. I've had some issues with opening hours and the promotion of opening hours over the last week or so and although I hope that these issues may have been resolved, I don't think it hurts to stress what is important to you.

Post by Coburg Olympic Swimming Pool.

Survey Link

School Holiday Swimming Program

2014-01-07T12:15:00.002+11:00

School Holiday Swimming Program at Coburg Olympic Swimming Pool

The school holiday swimming program will run for one week only from Monday the 20th of January to Friday the 24th of January inclusive - so 5, 30 minute lessons. The program will be run at Coburg Olympic Swimming Pool as well as the Oak Park Aquatic Centre. The cost will be $50 per child, with classes available from infants through to school age (classes will be grouped according to age and ability).

All bookings or inquiries need to be sent to me at Samantha.anderson@ymca.org.au

Once bookings are made times and classes will be finalised - all depends on the demand.

Thank you,
Samantha Anderson

Fawkner Leisure Centre | 79-83 Jukes Road Fawkner 3060
Managed by the YMCA on behalf of the Moreland City Council
P: 03 9358 6600 | F: 03 9359 6803 | fawknerleisure@activemoreland.com.au
www.activemoreland.com.au

2013 Ride to Pool day

2013-03-14T14:33:00.002+11:00

Congratulations and thank you to all involved in the fantastic 5th Coburg Olympic Ride to Pool Day! Thank you Naz, Brad and staff for organising and running such a brilliant day so smoothly. The day was greatly enjoyed by all and the atmosphere was wonderful. It was very hot and the big pool was jam packed with children. Thanks to all Active Moreland staff for exemplary managing and life guarding all day.

The Pool Inflatable was a great hit as was the face painting and jumping castle. There was also the much loved sausage sizzle and a great new addition, the coffee cart. FCOP's "I love Coburg Olympic Pool T-Shirts" were a hit. As was the clock history display - great idea. The live music was perfect! Thank you to all involved in securing grants and fundraising so that we could continue the fine tradition of live music by the pool. The Shambelles were a high energy girl band donned in swim suits and white sunnies. The Short Order Schefs were cruisy, perfectly blending pool and lounge music. The Newlands Children's Choir were gorgeous and led by music teacher Jane and her guest violinist. Moreland FREEZER - thankyou Sal and all for the DJ, great sound and stage management!

Bike parking was also very well utilised and it was great to be a Bike Satellite Event and having our event as part of the Bike festival has alerted lots of post code 3000s to the pool. The newly fixed and re-installed Lions Clock was working a treat too! Thanks to Active Moreland who helped facilitate that.

What a great day at the pool!

Ride to Pool 2013

2013-02-14T15:17:00.000+11:00

Jump on your bike and join us at Coburg Olympic Swimming Pool

on Sunday 17th Febraury

11.00am - 4.00pm

Free Activities

Inflatables

Games

Face painting

Sausage Sizzle

Jumping Castle

Live entertainment

The Short Order Schefs

The Shambelles

Lady Fingers DJ Collective

Coburg Olympic Pool opening early!

2012-11-23T17:00:00.004+11:00

Due to the hot weather the pool will be opening early -that is this weekend! Hours 11-6pm. Thanks to the Active Moreland crew!

Join the Pool facebook site https://www.facebook.com/coburgolympicpool

Ride to Pool 2012

2012-02-15T21:44:00.000+11:00

RIDE TO POOL DAY

Sunday 19 February 2012

11am - 6pm

Coburg Olympic Swimming Pool

Murray Road, Coburg 3058

9354 2096

FREE ENTRY!

We encourage you to pedal to the pool to enjoy a free day of swimming, live music, kids activities and valet bicycle parking! Located on the shady banks of the Merri creek, the Coburg Olympic Swimming Pool is conveniently accessed by the Merri Creek bike path.

This event is presented by Friends of Coburg Pool, Moreland City Council and YMCA Victoria.

Fun activities for all the family:

Sausage sizzle fundraiser
Pool inflatables and jumping castle
Aquasafe Mascots
Crazy dive competition
Alcohol free/no glass
SunSmart venue

Live music by:

Newlands Primary School Choir
The Young Ones
Jody Galvin & the Tender Hearts
Nick Murphy & Jeff Samin
The Short Order Schefs
& some special guests!

In the event of inclement weather the event will be postponed to Sunday 26th February 2012, and communicated through activemoreland.com.au

Coburg Olympic Pool closed for two weeks

2012-01-12T21:10:00.003+11:00

Moreland city Council have advised that the repair of the circulation pump at the Coburg Olympic Swimming Pool is taking longer than previously anticipated due to uncontrollable delays in procuring specialist parts for the pump. Council and the YMCA anticipate that repairs will be completed in the next two weeks, after which several days will be needed to return the pool’s water to the desired quality and clarity.

In the meantime, they are encouraging members and pass holders of the Coburg Olympic Swimming Pool to make use of Moreland’s other aquatic facilities, including those nearby at Pascoe Vale and Oak Park. Coburg Olympic season pass holders are also able to use all aquatic facilities until the end of the month. Moreland residents are encouraged to visit activemoreland.com.au for updates on the pool’s reopening and details of our other aquatic and leisure facilities.

Unfortunately, the delay in repairing the pump has resulted in the cancellation of the Family Fun Day scheduled at the Coburg Olympic Swimming Pool on Sunday, January 15. Family Fun Days will be held at Oak Park Aquatic Centre on Sunday, January 22, and Fawkner Leisure Centre on Sunday, January 29.

The Ride to Pool Day at Coburg Olympic Swimming Pool, organised by Friends Of Coburg Pool in partnership with Active Moreland and Council, will be still held on Sunday, February 19, 2012.

Temporary closure of Coburg Outdoor Pool

2012-01-04T22:53:00.002+11:00

The Coburg Olympic Swimming Pool is currently closed for urgent maintenance on the pump.

Specialist contractors are working to fix the problem as soon as possible, and Moreland City Council expect the pool to reopen sometime in the week beginning 9th January 2012. Read about it on the Moreland Council website here.

Outdoor Pools, Hot and Cold Weather Policy

2012-01-02T20:48:00.001+11:00

by Janet Grigg
Here is the City of Moreland's Hot and Cold Weather Policy for Outdoor Pools. It can be found on the council's website here, scroll down to Outdoor Pools. In view of the pool's closing times on the last two very hot nights, it makes interesting reading.
Policy - Outdoor Swimming Pools - Hot & Cold Weather (1)
A couple of points come to mind after being shunted out of the pool, along with many other patrons enjoying a cool dip, at 6 o'clock on two successive nights when the temperature was well over 32C. It would have been really lovely to have dinner at the pool and stay there until about 8. This wave of hot weather has been forecast by the Bureau of Meteorology in the seven day weather forecast. It has arrived as predicted and was not a surprise, so there was plenty of time to plan staffing. Sure it was a public holiday, but the policy does not say that the pool can only be open late on weeknights or similar. The policy also talks about outdoor pools being primarily used as recreational venues and that opening and closing times should be responsive to community demand. The demand was certainly there tonight and last night. I wonder if the pool will be open late tomorrow night?

Coburg Olympic Pool excluded from heritage overlay

2011-06-20T12:13:00.001+10:00

A recent report has recommended that Coburg Olympic Pool be subject to a Heritage Overlay. However as reported in the Moreland Leader on 13/06/2011 Moreland City council did not accept those recommendations in relation to our pool.

You can read the North of Bell Street Heritage Study here or at the planning desk at the Moreland Civic C. The pool is mentioned on pages109-113. Page 110 states that Coburg Olympic Pool is one of only a few municipal swimming complexes dating from the 1950s and 1960s in Victoria to survive largely intact. The conservation guidelines allow plenty of scope for modifications of the complex to allow the important objective, ie the use of the complex as a public pool to continue.

Read the Friends of Coburg Olympic Pool letter to Moreland Council below.

FCoP Letter to Councillors Regarding Heritaqge Study 15/06/2011

Heritage Significance of the Coburg Olympic Pool

2011-06-20T11:53:00.001+10:00

The Coburg Olympic Pool is part of a long history of swimming on the banks of the Merri Creek in Coburg. The history of Coburg by Richard Broome (Between Two Creeks) describes the banks of the creek as an Aboriginal feasting site – in the 1920s a shell midden was discovered in Pentridge. After European settlement the Merri creek and later Coburg Lake which was dammed in 1917, became important swimming holes. Coburg lake had a series of pools, changing rooms, a diving board and champion swimming teams, also a water polo team. Locals continued swimming in the creek even after the Lake pools were closed due to pollution. In the late 1950s two children drowned in the creek at East Coburg and a campaign to build an Olympic Pool began. The pool was explicitly built to replace the lake and creek for swimming, and until these are clean enough to swim in again, the Olympic Pool provides an important opportunity to socialise and swim in a natural setting beside the Merri Creek.

The pool is closely linked with the history of community activism in Coburg. The push for the pool in the 50s and 60s came from the close knit community in the Newlands estate,which now has a local heritage overlay. Prominent Newlands local Frank Cox played a part in campaigning for the pool. The campaign for the pool involved a massive community fund raising effort including art shows, baby shows etc. Later waves of activism in the late 1990s kept the pool going and the pool was fixed and re-opened in 2008 after being closed for two years. The latest campaign was generated by a new wave of young families moving into Newlands and the campaign connected with a wide range of community members, including older residents. Frank Cox, now in his 90s, spoke at a Friends of the Coburg Pool event in 2008.

Coburg Olympic Pool is a site of shared memory for thousands of locals who grew up spending hot days at the pool when the local population was so big ‘you couldn’t find a spot for a towel’ on the massive grounds. Many locals learnt to swim at the pool– the students at Newlands High used to go over with a teacher at lunchtime, and students from Coburg Priamry School would walk to swimming lessons before the Coburg Leisure centre opened,.

The pool is an excellent example an increasingly rare example of a 1960s suburban Olympic pool (1965) architecture, with all 4 pools operational and featuring an unusual gravity fed system. The architecture is virtually intact and features a high modernist entranceway which is a local icon. The site has had buildings added – a multipurpose space currently used for a disability support program, and a table tennis centre, but apart from the removal of the diving towers in 2008, the site is intact; the stadium seating, the toilets and kiosk are all original and the Lions Clock is still in position (donated by the Lions Clock shortly after the pool opened so kids would not have an excuse to come home late for dinner). The grounds have established peppercorns and other leafy trees that have provided shade for over 40 years. The view over bush regenerated parkland toward Merri creek is an unusual natural feature for an urban outdoor swimming pool.

Show your love for our pool - get the t-shirt!

2011-02-15T14:30:00.001+11:00

Karen has made a new batch of screen printed "I love Coburg Olympic Pool" cotton t-shirts in adult and children's sizes. T-shirts will be for sale at the February Fun day - this Sunday 18th off February. Prices range from $3 for a kids singlet to $10 for an adult t-shirt.

Hope to see you at the pool on Sunday. Fingers crossed that the weather is nice!

Fun day - Sunday February 20, 2011

2011-02-08T21:16:00.003+11:00

Another fabulous fun day is planned at our beautiful creek side swimming pool. The fun day will be from 11.00am to 6.00pm on Sunday 20th of February. Entry is $1, there will be music, dive boards, bombing competitions, inflatables and the jumping castle.

Here's the music line up;

12.30 - 1.00pm The night before tomorrow

1.15 - 2.15pm Newlands Children's choir

2.30 - 3.15pm Spoils Duo

3.30 -4.15pm Dave Ong and Jemma Rowlands

4.30 - 5.30pm BOOF

February Fun Day 2011

Hope to see you there, under a big shady tree or in one of the bright blue pools!

Ride to Pool 2011

2011-02-02T22:05:00.003+11:00

Ride to Pool day turned out to be a beautiful summer day. Perfect for hanging out by our pool and under the big trees. Nearly 1000 people attended and there were many, many bikes parked out the front and inside. The pool was busy (but not packed), the vibe was electric and people from all over Coburg enjoyed the music, pool inflatable and jumping castle.

Stay tuned for the nest event, the February Fun day which will be on Sunday, 20th of February.

After school swimming lessons

2011-02-01T00:25:00.002+11:00

After school swimming lessons each Monday for 7 weeks - a great way to enjoy the Coburg Olympic pool once the holidays are over.

Book now via the Coburg Leisure Centre on 9354 3504!
7 lessons over 7 weeks for $70

Pedal Power makes a splash at Coburg Olympic Pool!

2011-01-09T22:07:00.002+11:00

To celebrate this wonderful community asset, Friends of Coburg Olympic Pool are hosting a free ‘ride to pool’ day on Sunday 23rd of January 2011. People are encouraged to pedal to the pool to enjoy a free day of live music, food, kids activities and valet bicycle parking! Located on the shady banks of the Merri creek, the Coburg Olympic Pool is conveniently accessed by the Merri creek bike path.

After a do-or-die community campaign back in 2008 to save the iconic 1960’s outdoor swimming pool, the Coburg Olympic pool opens its doors again this summer to provide a unique retro pool experience.

WHERE: Coburg Olympic Pool, Murray Rd, Coburg North

WHEN: 11am to 6pm, Sunday 23 Jan 2011

Bands include: Jodi Galvin and the Tender Heart, Nick Murphy and Band, The Short order Shefs and Newlands Primary Children’s Choir

Playing times are:

1.00 - 1.30 Newlands Community Childrens Choir

2.00 - 2.45 Jodi Galvin and the Tender Heart

3.15 - 4.15 Nick Murphy, Band and Guests

4.30 - 5.30 Short Order Shefs

Opening hours policy for hot and cold weather

2011-01-07T00:13:00.001+11:00

The Moreland Council hot and cold weather policy can be found on the Moreland City Council website here - scroll down and look for Outdoor Pool Hot and Cold Weather Policy. As we can't link to it directly, here is another way to read it.

Policy - Outdoor Swimming Pools - Hot and Cold Weather

Due to community pressure, the normal weekday opening closing time for the pool has been extended to 7.00pm. However, there is scope for the pool to be open even later in hot weather and to quote from the opening hours policy for hot and cold weather, "the planning trigger for considering extension of hours for the next day is when the Bureau of Meteorology weather forecast at mid afternoon for the next day is for a 32 degrees Celsiusm aximum or higher. This forecast will be monitored early each day to determine if there has been significant change of forecast on the day.The trigger for extension of evening hours on any day is when the temperature is 32 degrees Celsius or higher at 4pm according to the latest Bureau of Meteorology weather observationson that day, and there is reasonable patronage in the water (greater than 25 patrons one hour prior to usual scheduled closing) and numbers in the water are maintained at 25 or more. The rationale for specifying patronage ‘in the water’ is to avoid extension of hours simply because patrons want to remain in the grounds, without using the pools.When extension of hours is not feasible due to staffing constraints and/or occupational health and safety issues, including inadequate lighting, consultation must occur no later than 5pm on the day extension of hours is being considered between the centre manager and Council’s Aquatic Facilities Unit."

So basically, when the forecast is for more than 32C and there are at least 25 people in the pool, then extended opening hours need to be considered.

Late start to the summer season at Coburg Olympic Pool

2010-12-06T11:50:00.000+11:00

Have tried to go for a swim and the pool wasn't open? Worried that we have lost our pool again?

Well, this is what has happened. Due a problem with one of the concrete filter tanks, some repairs need to be carried out before the pool is safe to open. The Moreland Council website is saying that the Coburg Outdoor Pool will now open on Monday 13 December at the earliest. Fingers crossed that the rain doesn't delay repairs!

Email Council or phone them on 9240 1111 for more information on the status of the pool.