ROCKDALE Council has sacked the operator of Bexley Swimming Centre and resolved to bring in the YMCA to temporarily run the pool.
Operator Matthew Sanderson, who has been running the pool for 18 years, said he learned his time at the centre was over on March 29.
"The writing has been on the wall for the last year," Mr Sanderson said. "Basically, there has been a contract dispute for the last six months."
He said he was in legal negotiations with the council about his contract and would like to stay on, but was not hopeful.
If he can't reach an agreement with the council, Mr Sanderson said he would finish up at the pool on April 28.
Bexley resident Mark Hanna, who is a long-time advocate of upgrading the pool, said he was astonished by the council's decision.
"Swimmers are extremely disappointed and angry at (the council's) decision to unceremoniously terminate the services of an operator who is widely regarded as the friendliest and best operator Bexley Swimming Centre has had in its 36-year history," Mr Hanna said.
He said it was "absolutely breathtaking" the council had not found a way to let Mr Sanderson continue at the pool.
Rockdale mayor Bill Saravinovski declined to comment on Mr Sanderson's claims, however Councillor Shane O'Brien said as far as he was concerned, the upgrade would not be affected by the change in operators.
"My position is that I want a 50-metre pool to be open the year round and upgraded to the standard the swimming public want," Cr O'Brien said. "If the council changes its position that is a betrayal of the reference group and the other people we have been working with on the issue."
A council spokesman confirmed the change in operators. "The current operator's lease had expired and a full council review of the operations led to a decision to appoint an interim operator, the YMCA, to manage the pool, at no cost to council," the spokesman said.
He said a tender for the operation of the pool would be advertised "in the proceeding months".
Mr Hanna, who also sat on a council reference group for the pool upgrade, said there was no consultation with residents about management change.
Mr Sanderson said his wrangling with the council had made him doubt the sincerity of its upgrade plans. "They have been going on about upgrading the facility since 1994 — I've offered to upgrade it three times in that period and now this has happened," he said. "I don't think there is the will in the council (to do it) — I think they want to downsize it to fit the YMCA's needs."
Did the council make the right decision? What do you think needs to be done at Bexley Pool?
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