Orange link at Bathurst pool: Manning name will live on at aquatic centre

Last week Bathurst Regional councillors agreed to pay tribute to all members of the Manning family by naming the city’s pool in their honour.

When John Manning, the pool manager for 32 years, died in September, a community campaign began to name the centre in honour of him and his wife, Nina.

John and Nina are the grandparents of Orange’s Kyle Manning, who is well known in Orange’s musical and tourism circles, and also ran for Orange City Council at last year’s election.

In a post on his Facebook page, Mr Manning said of the push to have the pool named in honour of John and Nina: “I can't think of a better way to remember my grandparents”.

An online petition collected in excess 1250 names, and Bathurst council’s consultation with the family, led to a recommendation to rename the facility.

“It is recommended that the Bathurst Aquatic Centre be named the Bathurst Manning Aquatic Centre in honour of the late Mr and Mrs Manning,” director of Engineering Services, Darren Sturgiss, said.

“It is believed the name recommended provides recognition to both Mr and Mrs Manning, keeps the Bathurst wording … and is not too long a name.”

Following some debate over the exact name, councillors chose a slight variation, the Manning Aquatic Centre Bathurst.

Councillor Jacqui Rudge had initially suggested the Bathurst John and Nina Manning Aquatic Centre, which she said was the preferred option of the family. 

However, she failed to get a seconder for her motion, ruling it out as an option. 

“I would just like to stress my disappointment on this decision,” Cr Rudge said at the meeting, adding that other facilities in NSW have longer names.

“I cannot understand why we are not considering the family's request here to have John and Nina Manning’s names in the title.”

Several councillors reasoned that the name was not only too long, but there were other members of the Manning family who contributed to the facility that wouldn’t be recognised in that particular name. 

In addition to renaming the aquatic centre, councillors also requested interpretative signage be placed inside to detail the contributions of the Manning family. 

Council plans to consult with the family to determine the content, photos and placement of the signage. 

MAP: Where is the Bathurst Aquatic Centre …

Cr Ian North, in an emotional address, spoke of the significance of the family’s impact on Bathurst and how pleased he was that they would now have formal recognition.  

“I think the Manning Aquatic Cente, that name says what it needs to say, that this community really respects those people and what they did for the lives of people in Bathurst,

“I learnt a lot off that man, off his wife and the rest of that family, and this is such an important thing and I know that Mr Manning and Mrs Manning would be so proud to know that their names are in front of the pool at the oldest inland settlement in Australia.”

Matthew Irvine, who started the petition to rename the aquatic centre, said he didn’t have an opinion on the chosen name, but was glad to see the facility would now reflect the contributions of the Manning family. 

“I think it is brilliant that they will be formally recognised now,” he said. 

He said people felt Mr and Mrs Manning should have been added to the facility long before now, but he understood why it took until now for change to occur. 

“Council’s precedent is very strong in this area … other people have been recognised once they have passed away,” Mr Irvine said.