The City of Casey has endorsed a $5.5 million investment for an expansion of the Doveton Pool in the Park, siding with residents’ calls despite officer recommendations and councillor opposition.
An alternative motion, moved by Cr Lynette Pereira and seconded by Cr Dave Perry on 16 September, sought to recommission the program shallow pool, accompanied by a slide, at an additional cost, something that Cr Michelle Crowther questioned if it was the “best use of ratepayers’ funds”.
Ultimately, the amended motion in support of Cr Pereira and Cr Perry passed, with support from Cr Shane Taylor, Cr Carolyn Eaves, Cr Jennifer Dizon, Cr Gary Rowe and Cr Anthony Walter; Cr Crowther, Cr Kim Ross, and Cr Scott Dowling opposed the motion.
Doveton Eumemmerring Township Association (DETA) chair, Joshua Oostwood, whose group had submitted the 2138-strong petition in support, said that people power, and a bit of “pester-power” have prevailed.
“It’s really exciting, a really positive outcome, I think it will make it more attractive for families in the region,” he said.
“I believe it will increase attendance; you want it to be a worthwhile return on investment.”
Oostwood reflected on a fierce public campaign to ‘Save Doveton Pool’ that led Casey to abandon its 2021 plans that looked to replace the aquatic facility.
The officers’ recommendation aligned with the initial Doveton Pool Masterplan, and, if it had passed, would have seen a 0.67-hectare district-level park with a playground and waterplay facilities.
This first option was fully funded through a combination of Federal Government investment through the Thriving Suburbs Program with $7.5 million and the council’s Capital Works Program, totalling $16.2 million.
The agreed-upon motion backed a collective $5.5 million additional works proposal for the kids’ pool, slide and park, bringing the total project cost to $19.1 million and leaving a funding deficit of $2.9 million.
With the backing of local MPs, DETA rallied support from businesses, schools and sports groups over several years, with Oostwood saying that “we are just volunteers who love our community”.
“It’s super encouraging, I’m just hoping we can apply this to other areas in Doveton-Eumemmerring, whether that’s social issues, housing affordability, environmental issues and so on,” he said.
Nevertheless, Cr Pereira, on Cr Crowther’s remarks, said that the reintroduction of the former program pool and slide would be a boon, and that it would be a “real asset for Doveton”.
“The priority [of the pool] has been lowered, but the community wants progress on this; they need it, and the feedback is indicating all of that.
“I firmly believe that option four is the best way forward; we’re all aware of the petition signed by residents who care deeply about ensuring the pool remains accessible and fit for purpose.
“They asked us to make this not just a palace for toddlers to splash, but a facility where children and families of all ages and backgrounds can come together,” she said.
Cr Pereira further emphasised the importance of swimming and the early development in children’s abilities to do so, highlighting that a shallow play space would not be able to provide that same environment for growth.
At the same time, she, speaking on behalf of the residents of Doveton and surrounds, said that the district-level playground was not of their interest.
“They don’t want a large playground dropped in the middle of a residential area, that would bring traffic, noise, and unintended consequences that do not suit this particular location,” she said.
“What they want is a local, family-friendly precinct with safe hours and a scale that respects its neighbourhood setting; option four achieves exactly that balance.”
Her argument for the additional funding was a commitment of the $2.9 million to the 2026/27 council budget, citing that doing so would make it “deliverable and responsible”, adding that it is relatively “low-scale” in comparison to other infrastructural sites that Casey had funded in the past.
However, Cr Crowther was not convinced, touching on her previous point of the appropriate use of funds, but also emphasised the fact that the pool itself is open for less than 100 days in a year.
To begin the report, Casey’s manager of city and asset planning, Keri New, detailed that in 2025-25, there were 5115 public attendees, with an average daily visitation number of 71 people, and it was open for 72 days in the year.
Cr Crowther used these points as the supporting crux of her argument, asking if “an outdoor pool that’s only open for such a limited amount of days meets the swimming needs of this community?”
“If we were truly motivated to support the children of Doveton to learn how to swim, perhaps we should be considering an indoor option that could actually be used all year round.
“My opposition to this motion also comes from the process that’s been followed on this issue and the precedent we are setting for our decision-making,” she said.
She added that the community consultation that was conducted focused on the playground and not the additional investment, asking if the residents who emailed the petition “understand that it’s going to be an outdoor pool that’s going to be locked up 80 per cent of the year”.
“Do they understand that it requires another $2.9 million investment? Does the community understand that by getting this additional pool, it’s actually going to reduce the playground that is available every day of the year and can serve more children?
“You know, $2.9 million is 10, $290,000 projects that could be done all over Casey; so I do want councillors to consider what the costs are, and if we are setting a precedent for future decisions,” she said.
Cr Ross showed support for Cr Crowther’s points, adding that the process of decision making around the topic “seems to be vacillating between rationalism and the court of public opinion”, saying that the reason she could not support the $2.9 million motion was because “we can’t make decisions based on past needs”.
“The latest information shows that the Doveton-Eummemmering area lacks a district-level playground, especially taking future population growth into account.
“Future needs also include providing shade and cooling down spaces for the broader community, not just those who can afford to pay every day to go into a pool.
“The pool only provides for a small percentage of the population; we’ve already had the numbers even when the kids’ pool was open, and we still didn’t reach 200 visitors in a day,” she said.
Cr Perry, who spoke in support of the amended motion, spoke his piece, adding that with the previous decisions to demolish the parts of Doveton Pool in the past, and from what the residents have been yearning for, option four would be the best course of action.
He said that locals have made it clear that they want a facility that “truly serves the community”, something that can “bring families together”.
“Last summer, we saw a noticeable drop in visitation, with families leaving upon arrival after finding that the kids’ areas had been removed.
“The kids’ facilities are missing from what is at the moment a $16.2 million redevelopment.
“It leaves out the major drawcard of these pools for families, and it means we’re doing the job, but we’re not doing it properly. I think, for once, we should just get it done right,” he said.
Later on, Cr Walter also spoke in support of Cr Pereira’s motion, likewise with Cr Eaves and deputy mayor Melinda Ambros.
Mayor Stefan Koomen vacated the seat due to a conflict of interest, considering his strong voice of support as DETA’s former chair and during his period as mayor.
“I am pleased that my fellow Councillors engaged in a healthy debate about the long-term benefits of investing in the pool,” he said after the decision.
“The need to retain a kids’ pool and slide has been a community-led campaign over many years. When we rebuild such a significant asset, it’s important that we get it right for the community, and this extra investment will ensure children and families will enjoy this improved facility for years to come.”
