New Tamworth Aquatic Centre
I am deeply concerned that a new aquatic centre with a proposed entry fee of $7 adults, $5 children; (as compared with $4 adults, $3 children) will potentially isolate at least one-third of the Tamworth population.
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Statistics show that 30% of local residents have a weekly income of LESS THAN $499/week (ABS, Tamworth LGA; personal weekly income of residents over 15 years).
Council must consider who makes up our community and the financial constraints that make access to recreational facilities more difficult. Council must take seriously their obligation to serve the whole community not just the elite swimmers and middle class.
Council’s own strategic plan states that: “All people should have fair access to services, resources and opportunities to improve their quality of life” (TRC CSP 2017-2027, page 8) I strongly believe our pools cannot be likened to a hockey field. They are a place where people exercise, have fun, cool off and connect with others in their neighborhood.
Councillors, please consider that those residents on a low income will be most affected by the closure of the existing facilities. They are: much less likely to have a pool in their backyard; much less likely to have air conditioning at home; much less likely to have a car (to get to a non-central facility); much less likely to have participated in council consultations (lower literacy skill/ lack of understanding about political processes).
Disadvantaged members of the community, particularly our youth need continued opportunities to be active, occupied and having fun. To disregard these members of our community raises serious social justice concerns.
I beg council to do more homework. Closure of both existing pools will have a major and permanent community wide impact.
Penny Milson
Tamworth
Attention rubbish dumper
This letter is really addressed to the person who, in the last few days, purchased a 3M Cantilever Umbrella with an aluminium and steel frame from Big W, put the large package into a trolley, which he or she (let’s assume it was a he) then wheeled to Denison Street, unpacked the umbrella and loaded it into his car and drove off.
Left on the footpath for days was the trolley with the considerable amount of packaging in it. At some stage, the trolley man found the trolley and threw the contents onto the footpath and took the trolley back.
Mind you, trolley collectors shouldn’t have to drive all round the streets picking up trolleys that shoppers should return themselves, but I do think it was poor form to throw the rubbish out and leave it on the street.
There was a very big piece of plastic, which I picked up and took round to the supermarket and placed in the plastic recycling bin and, on the way home, I dragged the cardboard packaging down to my house and broke it up and put it in my recycling, a bit of a tough job for an old lady.
I just hope the purchaser is sitting under his Cantilever Umbrella, sipping a beer and reading today’s Leader.
Jan Morris
West Tamworth
