Bomaderry locals John Bracher and Gary Crawford are fairly fit for men of their vintage, thanks to the proximity of the 50m pool.
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John has been swimming at the pool since it opened 41 years ago, it is part of his daily ritual.
Gary moved to Bomaderry a year ago, and chose a home a block away from the pool so he could do laps there every morning.
John and Gary are part of a community at Bomaderry that doesn’t want to lose its 50m pool.
Knowing full well Moss Vale Road developments will bring an extra 6000 people to the region, with 2250 dwellings being considered, they believe Shoalhaven City Council should keep the pool to accommodate the population that’s set to boom.
Council has advised residents that when the pool is shut down, they can simply cross the bridge to use the Nowra pool.
“Clearly they haven’t made this journey during peak times, it takes at least 20 minutes,” Gary said.
“Council should be encouraging less traffic on the roads, not more.”
They believe consolidating down to one pool has not taken into consideration those who are not mobile in Bomaderry.
Robyn Whitby who was swimming at Bomaderry pool on Friday said removing the pool would compound inequity issues experienced by many in town.
“If they take this away, how many more disadvantaged kids are going to be swimming in the creek, or in the Shoalhaven River,” she said.
“Is it going to take a drowning to prove this is a bad idea?”
Both Nowra and Bomaderry pools are fully booked by schools from 8.30am-3.30pm in February and March.
“What would happen if there was only one 50 metre pool in the district?” John said.
“Last time the Nowra pool was closed for renovations, the Bomaderry pool was overrun with people.”
John and Gary have encouraged residents to show their solidarity and attend a community meeting about the pool, called by Kiama MP Gareth Ward.
It will be held at the Bomaderry RSL Club at 7pm on February 21.
They also encouraged readers to view an article that resonated with them, Outdoor pools are more than a place to swim, they’re a place to come together, written by Sydney Morning Herald journalist Penny Rossiter.