AS the temperature nudged 30 degrees on Tuesday, families and tourists looking for a place to cool down were disappointed to discover the Millicent Swimming Lake was closed.
Wattle Range Council started emptying the lake earlier this month, however community members are questioning the timing, given the Easter and school holidays period has arrived.
Millicent resident Lisy Stephan decided to take her children to the popular swimming destination on Tuesday afternoon and was “appalled” to be greeted with a drained lake.
“It was a nice day and I thought I would bring the kids down,” she said.
“I got here and I was like oh.. they are emptying it.
“It is the middle of the school holidays and is Easter, they want tourists here and there is a caravan park right there.
“I understand they have to close it at some stage, but do not you look at the calendar and go, why do not we just wait for the school holidays and Easter to be over?
“If you have reached this far, what’s another two weeks?
“I was appalled really they would close it in the middle of the school holidays.”
Ms Stephan said Easter was a busy time of year for tourists, particularly in Beachport and at Millicent’s Lakeside Caravan Park.
“They all come into Millicent to do their grocery shopping,” she said.
“If they drive past when its hot and they see the lake full they might stop and stay a bit longer in Millicent.
“What about the people who have booked at the Lakeside Caravan Park online and thought oh yeah the kids could go to the swimming lake, then they come and realise it is not full.”
Also expressing his frustration was Lakeside Caravan Park owner Derek Sparks, who said the accommodation hub was fully booked over the long weekend.
“We are full over Easter and it is such a shame the lake is empty,” he said.
“People come and are looking at a concrete hole as opposed to a lake.
“We have already had plenty of locals asking why it is being emptied right now.”
Engineering services director Peter Halton said it was council practice to operate the Millicent Swimming Lake for five months from November 1 to March 31.
He said the cost of running the Millicent Swimming Lake for its five months was $150,000 plus depreciation.
According to Mr Halton, it would cost $30,000 to keep the lake open through April.
