PENOLA residents and visitors can now swim in warm water at the town’s public pool following the installation of solar and electric heating.
The pool is now open for the swim season on days when the forecast is 20 degrees or higher.
Wattle Range Council chief executive Ben Gower encouraged community members to use the free facility, which now has a 25 degree water temperature.
“The upgrade includes new mechanical rollers and pool blankets for the large and small pools to retain the heat generated by the Suntube panelling and boosted by the electric heat pump,” he said.
In 2017, the Penola Amateur Swim Club successfully secured State Government funding through the Fund My Neighbourhood program.
The club contributed $10,000 towards the $169,000 project, with council also supporting the upgrade.
Club secretary Stuart Sharman said the heated pool would make a difference to the club, particularly to junior swimmers “who were often shivering after training” due to low temperatures.
Patrons can swim from 3pm to 6pm Monday to Friday and 1pm to 6pm on weekends and holidays.
Children 12 years and under must be supervised by a responsible person 16 years or over, with the policy stating unattended children under 13 years will be asked to leave.
Mr Gower defended council’s decision to raise the acceptable age for non-supervision, reminding people the safety of children at pools remained the responsibility of parents and guardians.
“The message that we need to get through is ‘your child, your focus’,” he said.
“We have lifeguards on duty to deal with an emergency, but it is really the role of parents and guardians to prevent that from happening.
“This season, our lifeguards will be implementing the Watch Around Water principles that children under five must be within arm’s reach and children under 10 must be directly supervised.”
