The potential for seven public pools to introduce unsupervised hours could become a reality starting next swim season.
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Staggered operating times requiring on-duty staff during low trade windows may become a thing of the past for pools across the Cabonne Shire for the November to March season.
With a business case starting to materialise for the tiny towns, the council-led initiative would provide roughly 14,000 residents with more flexibility around usage while lowering costs associated with staffing.
Active parent involved with the Mighty Marlins swim club in Molong, Kate Strahorn said if the incentive gets the green light, she believes the unsupervised hours will have "a positive uplift on mental health and boost overall livability" for the townships.
"In the country, we always say 'you build it and we will come', and the same kind of thing applies here in terms of access in regional areas as well," Mrs Strahorn said.
"Especially when it comes to patronage of any sporting assets, people in the community always cherish and appreciate those opportunities.
"Particularly in the early morning, I think extending our pool hours makes absolute sense and it would be extraordinary outside of the supervised times we've had.
"It would just need to have the right protocols in place from a risk and safety perspective."
During the Cabonne Pools Advisory Committee meeting on April 8, council noted developing the plan further to upgrade all Cabonne swim sites to an unsupervised pool hours model to trial for the 2024/25 season.
Papers noted the idea had been raised during past meetings, with peak hours to remain staffed.
Part of this discussion included ideas around mitigating risks, with a council spokesperson referencing Warrumbungle Shire Council as one of the successful regions with unsupervised pool hours in place.
The safety of patrons was marked as "a key factor" in the process.
It would just need to have the right protocols in place from a risk and safety perspective.
- Mighty Marlins swim club parent in Molong, Kate Strahorn says council tabling unsupervised pool hours would be 'extraordinary'.
"[We're] currently investigating ways to meet community expectations around opening hours of Cabonne pools, while considering resources, operational costs, and managing and mitigating risks," the spokesperson told the Central Western Daily.
"As such, CCTV [closed-circuit television] would need to be installed at all pools, and community members wanting to access the unsupervised hours would need to complete a safety induction and adhere to the conditions of entry.
"Subject to the outcomes of the business case, proposed available hours to inducted patrons would be during daylight hours, seven days a week."
It was also noted council would consider "leasing out" the kiosks when queried by a committee member, including questions surrounding swimmer capabilities during non-staffed hours.
The acting aquatics supervisor advised it would "come down to the competency of the supervising swimmer" along with the potential for "a buddy system" in terms of swimmer and non-swimmer ratios.
Council's insurance company was flagged as "very supportive" of the incentive, with another committee member asking if the pool season might also be extended.
The acting supervisor said it could be considered, although costs would need to be revised as Canowindra pool "is the most expensive building in Cabonne" and drains "58 per cent of the pools budget" more than the other six pools combined.
Pool sites across Cabonne are located in Canowindra, Cudal, Cumnock, Eugowra, Manildra, Molong and Yeoval.
A case completion timeline, including proposed new hours, was not specified by council.