Petition to extend opening hours of Kootingal War Memorial Swimming Pool gains hundreds of signatures

A petition calling for the hours of the Kootingal War Memorial Swimming Pool to be extended beyond its three-and-a-half hour opening window has gained more than 300 signatures from concerned locals.

Moonbi resident Nuala Dixon started the petition after she was left feeling dissatisfied with the pool accessibility.

"I've got very bad arthritis and because I find it hard to walk long ways, I thought the pool would be an excellent bit of exercise," she said.

"But it's always closed."

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The pool opens seven days a week, from 3:30pm until 6pm.

When the pool is open, Ms Dixon said most of the facility is taken up by the local swim squad training, leaving little room for local kids and residents wanting an afternoon dip.

"It's very disappointing when families go up there to use it and they can't get access to it, it's closed or they're turned away."

Ms Dixon said she started the petition to gauge if other residents held the same concerns and after seeing more than 200 people sign on and leave comments in just one day, she said it was clearly a "pressing issue".

"There was so many people who also voiced concerns and dissatisfaction about what was going on," she said.

"There's very little amenities in the outer villages, Kootingal really only has the pool."

With the weather warming up, the demand for the swimming pool is expected to increase.

Ms Dixon said if the hours don't change, locals would be left with no other option but to travel to Tamworth.

"But there's a lot of people who are senior, with a disability or just can't get into Tamworth because of fuel prices," she said.

"You've got to consider the fuel and the time, it's not always feasible to drive there and back."

The petition comes after Tamworth Regional Council revealed plans to build a $12 million lagoon style adventure pool and a $60 million aquatic and leisure centre.

Ms Dixon said while she was supportive of the developments, she said more attention needed to be paid to the smaller villages.

"Tamworth already had a lot of facilities and really good high quality facilities," she said.

"I think there could be more done in the villages."

A spokesperson for Tamworth Regional Council said from early December it is expected the pool will be open from 12pm until 6pm daily.

"During the early part of the season the Kootingal Pool was closed until 3pm as there was little to no use before school finished, due to the low water temperature and unseasonably cooler weather," they said.

A number of school intensive swimming programs during weekdays had also left the pool closed to the public.

"From 3pm every weekday the pool is open to the public," the spokesperson said.

"And while the swimming club does use a number of lanes, we also ensure that there are lanes available for the public."

The pool is set to close for the entire weekend on December 3 and 4, for the annual carnival.

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