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Town of Cottesloe agrees to two-stage feasibility study for sea pool

Jon BassettWestern Suburbs Weekly

A SEA pool in Cottesloe is a step closer but still faces hurdles after the town’s council agreed to a two-stage feasibility study to look into proposals at Tuesday’s meeting.

“I don’t, as a resident, support a beach pool. I swim in the sea every day,” Councillor Sally Pyvis said.

Since the 2010 shark attack death of Ken Crew in North Cottesloe, there has been a push for children, seniors and the disabled to have a swimming spot.

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Concepts for an ocean pool have included Cottesloe Surf Life Saving Club member Tom Locke’s enclosure on the north side of Cottesloe Groyne, architect Trevor Saleeba suggesting the south side of the groyne and real estate agent Chris Shellabear proposing a site on top of dunes south of the Barchetta Cafe, North Cottesloe.

The public said it wanted a pool during consultation when the council developed its foreshore rejuvenation master plan several years ago.

Councillors subsequently agreed to fund a study to find out if an ocean pool was possible and its cost during its entire life, including maintenance which has been one of the idea’s greatest obstacles.

“A significant part of the community wants a beach pool, and significant part of the community thinks we can’t afford it, and only a feasibility study will sort that out, “ Cr Lorraine Young said.

However, Cr Sandra Boulter said a City of Stirling pool beside the beach in Scarborough already had “problems”, and any similar facility in Cottesloe could only be built if a “philanthropist” paid for the project.

The study’s first stage will consider any pool’s sustainability, its long-term maintenance and how it would integrate into the town’s foreshore rejuvenation project, before any second stage assesses the appropriateness of any specific site.

A staff report said any eventual design would need to include sustainable, long-lasting and easily maintained materials, and construction costs have not been determined.

The council allocated about $162,000 in 2017-18 and 2018-19 for both parts of the study, including $12,500 for council officers’ time, the brief for which was framed after talks with the proponents of the three suggested sites, coast and recreation researchers and City of Sterling.

However, it was not disclosed how much will be used to pay West Perth-based consultants Advisian which won the job after five tenders, before they report later this year.

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