A Ballina Shire councillor wants the council to stump up $15,000 to help prepare reports for an ocean pool at Ballina.
Cr Jeff Johnson has lodged a notice of motion for Thursday’s council meeting in an effort to gain funding to prepare engineering and environmental reports for the proposed pool.
‘For the last 18 months the Ballina Ocean Pool Committee has been meeting and liaising with representatives from Ballina council’s planning department, Crown Lands, Southern Cross University and a number of engineers and other professionals including surveyors, builders, planners, geomorphologists, etc,’ Cr Johnson said.
‘While the vast majority of the consultants that the Ballina Ocean Pool have been meeting with are able to give their time voluntarily it is unrealistic to expect a community committee to complete the necessary planning documents and reports without any costs being expended.
Cr Johnson said the rock shelf between Shelley Beach and Lighthouse Beach had been identified as the most appropriate place for an ocean pool.
‘The location of the proposed pool has been surveyed and a draft report has been completed by students from the Australian Maritime College in Tasmania,’ he said.
‘The Marine Biology department at Southern Cross University, headed up by Professor Peter Harrison, have committed to completing the necessary environmental reports (EIS).
‘A local planning consultant has prepared the brief that is now being refined and the reports organized.’
‘As part of the brief the services of a geomorphologist (coastal processes) and engineer (Ocean Pool expertise) are needed to complete these reports.
‘As these professionals are located in Sydney and are not able to complete the reports without costs being incurred it is now time for Ballina Council to provide some seed funding to assist.’
Cr Johnson said he was confident that once an ocean pool was approved, there would be ‘significant state and federal grants available’, and a team of local professionals would assist in making the project a reality with very little cost imposed on the council.
‘There have been a few comments in the media about whether Black Head would be a more suitable location for the Ballina Ocean Pool,’ he said.
‘It is the advice of experts that this location isn’t suitable for a tidal flushing ocean pool. Furthermore, Ballina Council would need to commit at least $2 million to improve the access road, provide parking, toilets, showers and other associated infrastructure before consideration of an ocean pool at this location could even be considered.
‘The rock shelf between Shelly and Lighthouse Beach already has this infrastructure within close proximity and is also in a highly visible and popular location.’
The council meets on Thursday at the chambers in Cherry Street to consider the motion.
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