Wingecarribee Shire - No community land sales for a leisure centre

The Wingecarribee Shire Council is proposing to build a leisure centre costing at least $16.7 million on a green field site between Bowral and Moss Vale, in NSW's Southern Highlands. The council proposes to fund the leisure centre primarily from the sale of community owned land and also from other developer contributions.

The community was consulted about the sale of community land in February 2008 - 94% of people attending the public hearings voted against this proposal. The council proposes to construct a 50m pool within the centre. The council's own consultants advised against building a 50m pool.

The council is proposing a multi-million dollar construction project, but it does not have a properly costed business plan, either for the capital cost, or for the ongoing cost of running the centre.

The council is proposing to set up a gymnasium in the centre to help fund the running costs. There are already more than 12 privately owned gyms in the Highlands struggling to make ends meet. Why should the council set up in competition with local businesses?
Proponents of the leisure centre claim that there is nowhere to swim/learn to swim indoors in the Highlands.

There are at least 8 publicly available indoor pools open currently in the Highlands, many of which are suitable for lap swimming and /or rehabilitation.

The council's consultation process was incomplete and misleading. Local residents were never offered a true choice of costed options.