Tonight’s council meeting, which marked the first meeting for 2007, included an item of urgent business in relation to the Croydon Outdoor Memorial Pool. In a vote of five against two, Maroondah Council resolved to retain the Memorial Pool and commit to the sourcing of funds to upgrade and reopen the facility.

There were three motions passed in relation the Croydon Memorial Pool, the first of which allowed the issue to be heard as part of urgent business.

The other motions, which I seconded on each occasion, were as follows:

That council hereby rescinds the following wording of part 4 of the motion passed by council on 2 February, 2004, relating to the Croydon Aquatic Facility feasibility study, namely:

“Council undertakes to make no further decision regarding the future of the Croydon Memorial Pool until a new facility has been opened.”

Rescinding this motion allowed the council to consider the issue of the Croydon Memorial Pool immediately, rather than deferring the issue until a later date. This allowed the third motion to be debated and ultimately passed:

That Council:

1. Commits to the future of the Croydon Memorial Pool.
2. Seeks funding options from Federal and State Governments and other sources of funding.

These motions, each of each were passed successfully by council, has meant that Maroondah City Council has voted to retain the Croydon Memorial Pool and will now seek the funding necessary to upgrade and retain the facility.

I would like to thank the Save Croydon Outdoor Pool (SCOOP) group for their commitment and for maintaining an ongoing campaign in calling council to the save the pool. I am honoured to be in a position where I was able to vote in support, and second the motions, that resulting in saving this unique Croydon icon.