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Town of Mosman Park to discuss committing $25,000 to investigating bid for ocean pool

Jon BassettWestern Suburbs Weekly

MOSMAN Park council will discuss spending $25,000 on a bid for an ocean pool whose advocates have left Cottesloe Beach.

“We think this project is well worth looking at, and also for the State Government to come in and help start financing it,” Mosman Park councillor Brett Pollock said at Tuesday’s meeting.

Ocean pools advocate Tom Locke, backed by environmental engineer Jorg Imberger and human activity scientist John Bloomfield, briefed council about a seawater swimming pool for the elderly, young and disabled at Mosman Park beach last week.

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Mr Locke has been lobbying for the pool since he and other Cottesloe Surf Life Saving Club swimmers saw Ken Crew fatally attacked by a great white shark at North Cottesloe in 2000.

Last year, Mr Locke withdrew his proposal after alleged inaction by Cottesloe council, but that council will now investigate his Cottesloe Groyne site and two other pool proposals for a foreshore revitalisation plan this year instead.

Cr Pollock said a pool at Mosman Park Beach would provide a swimming for people pushed off their feet by a 30cm wave.

“This is not about sharks, it’s about trying to find a wonderful asset for Mosman Park,” Cr Pollock said.

He said a committee, not council staff, would investigate the pool, and its construction price could be reduced by already-received offers of help from companies, before the State Government may be asked for money.

“There’s no more maintenance costs than the boat ramp on the river,” he said.

Cr Zenda Johnson said it was a “deluded” claim the pool could be a global icon for the Town, and questioned why there were no costs when its concept had been worked on for 17 years.

“So where’s the business plan, and where’s the direction?” Cr Johnson said.

Cr Jenna Ledgerwood said while she supported a pool, the council already had large projects, including revamping Buckland Hill, that had not progressed.

“We can’t, as a small council, keep grabbing great big projects,” Cr Ledgerwood said.

Mayor Ron Norris said an investigation was worthwhile to find out the viability of a pool at Mosman Park Beach, and someone had to “take the lead”.

Council agreed to allocate $25,000 to investigate the pool during budget talks.

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