COTTESLOE MLA David Honey says everyone has to be on board if three sea pools floated for his electorate are to survive a feasibility study by the town’s council.
“All the proposals have merit, but it’s important to get proper engagement from all the community. It’s going to be an issue,” Dr Honey said.
About 100 mostly older people attended a workshop into concepts being examined by consultants Advisian.
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It marks the $50,000 first stage of the Cottesloe Council inquiry into residents’ requests for a pool, begun when its Foreshore Masterplan sought public comment 18 months ago.
Advisian senior environmental consultant Annabel Knipe said the sea pool concept north of Cottesloe Groyne offered seabreeze shelter and had low environmental impact and cost, but may be inaccessible, have low water quality and was near a potential Aboriginal heritage area.
Ms Knipe said a concept south of the groyne was away from the main beach, but could have heritage, accessibility and isolation issues and its construction would be irreversible.
She said a pool on dunes at North Cottesloe provided access and was near the Napier Street car park, but may lack the feeling of a sea pool, could cost more and need to be protected from erosion.
The public’s issues included no defined costs, destruction of surf breaks, flushing, no changing rooms, storms dumping sand and weed, which could attract tourists, and who pays ongoing maintenance.
Ms Knipe said operational costs were in the feasibility study, which may consider construction north of the groyne potentially the cheapest, its southern counterpart “in the middle” and North Cottesloe the most expensive.
Cottesloe Mayor Phil Angers said the study was set up to find any “significant” factor that prevented using the locations, including cost.
Mosman Park Council will do a pre-feasibility study into a sea pool at its beach as part of any sea level rise protection.
An online survey will be in ‘latest news’ at www.cottesloe.wa.gov.au until August 16.