War memorial now looks like battleground

War hero Sir Roden Cutler VC laid the foundation stone for the Woy Woy Memorial Olympic Pool in 1967.

Generations of residents enjoyed this public amenity under the capable management of veteran swimming champion Kevin Vickery.

When Kevin retired, signs of privatisation and cultural imperialism appeared at the pool.

Staff on Gosford Council's payroll were employed serving imported coffee from a new machine in the kiosk and Coca-cola logos appeared on the backs of Council's pool attendants but no Australian flag fluttered over the war memorial pool even on days of national significance.

There was no such display of patriotism because, as mayor Cr Robert Bell explained, there was no flagpole on the site to fly the flag on Remembrance Day 2002.

In 2003, no flag was hoisted on Australia Day and by Anzac Day Gosford Council, responding to development pressures, had with indecent haste completely obliterated the whole pool complex decades before its use-by date, leaving Woy Woy without a decent public pool for the indefinite future.

On Remembrance Day 2003, the site looks like a World War One battleground.

Gosford Council is guilty of serious social and environmental damage.

It can best minimise its shame by resolving to stop subsidising the refreshment industry on public land and preserve the war memorial name of the replacement leisure centre.

John Collins, Woy Woy.