With two recent shark attacks in the Whitsundays Ballina Shire Councillor Jeff Johnson is pleased to inform the community that the planning reports for the Ballina ocean pool are close to completion.
Six local professionals including Councillor Johnson are putting the finishing touches on the necessary planning reports for the construction of an Ocean Pool on the rock shelf between Shelly and Lighthouse Beach at East Ballina.
‘It certainly has been a labour of love for our committee’, said Mr Johnson, one of the committees founding members.
‘There hasn’t been an ocean pool built for over 30 years, so it was always going to be a challenge.
‘So far hundreds of pages of planning and technical reports have been completed by a number of local organisations and professionals,’ he said.
‘The whole rock shelf has been surveyed and a number of pool configurations considered by our engineers.
‘We’ve had tremendous support from the local community, the state government, Southern Cross University, University of NSW and a number of local professionals who continue to volunteer their time to make sure this happens.’
They are also looking to incorporate a children’s wading pool into the final design.
‘Designing a pool with widespread appeal and access has always been a priority’, said Mr Johnson.
‘Having a world class ocean pool that is free to use all year round and provides a fun and safe ocean swimming experience for both locals and visitors will become a major attraction for Ballina.’
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