The closure of Canterbury pool last month marked the latest in a series of Sydney suburbs to lose their post-war public swimming pools – and left locals nostalgic for the days of hot chips, sunburnt skin, and long, carefree swims with what seemed like the whole neighbourhood. Lawyer Yusra Metwally, who grew up in south-west Sydney, says she remembers the “intoxicating smell of chlorine” and evocative images of “long, lazy, swim-a-thon days in the water”. “There’s something intrinsically comforting about water,” she says, adding that it might even be an evolutionary instinct, “like we were born into it. It’s an emotional response, and that’s why so many people connect with our public swimming pools.”
A Sydney resident has started a social media campaign to try and find the city’s best suburban pools. Michael Easton and his mate have been testing out the waters in the suburbs around the city, swimming laps at each one, documenting what makes them special on Instagram, and struggling to pick a favourite. He said they’d swum in about 68 different pools so far and it’s not easy to single out a pool as the best of them all. “It’s more about the experience of each pool. It could be the location, the layout, the history, or it could just be the ambiance,” he told the Herald Sun. “Some pools have more of a nostalgic value, some have more of a cultural significance, and some have just been beautiful.”
Ocean pools are popular with swimmers who might feel uncomfortable swimming in waves at a regular beach or who are looking for a place to swim and relax without the risk of shark attacks. Some of these swimming centres also offer a more sheltered environment than a regular beach, making them suitable for older and disabled swimmers. They are also a great choice for winter swimmers and are often warmer than a regular beach. The ocean pools are also a popular spot for photographers, who can capture the perfect sunrise or sunset image.
Adding a swimming pool to your home can significantly increase its market value, according to experts. The website HouseLogic estimates that it can add up to 7% to the overall value of your property. In fact, the term ‘pool’ is currently the most searched keyword on domain, indicating the pool is considered a desirable feature among potential buyers in Australia.
The saga of the North Sydney Olympic pool has highlighted how a lack of funding can impact community facilities, with council reports this week highlighting budget cuts, reduced cash reserves, and rising borrowing as the cost of refurbishing aquatic centres balloons. The escalating costs of the project have already led to reduced opening hours for some pools and may well affect the ability of councils to renovate and upgrade their other aquatic facilities. With RLSSA chief executive Kim O’Halloran this week highlighting the financial pressures on regional communities, the cost blowouts of the Sydney Olympic pool project have the potential to damage the nation’s ageing pool infrastructure.