Still a desolate waste of space

I refer to the appalling fiasco regarding the building of the regional aquatic leisure centre at Blackwall Rd, Woy Woy.

On March 28, 2003, the existing War Memorial Olympic Pool was closed and immediately demolition began on the recommendation of the building committee.

This once-useful and extremely well-patronised community resource has for the past 10 months resembled a World War One battlefield.

Those councillors who voted to close the complex were either oblivious or uncaring about the devastating effect this closure would have on kids, parents, schools, seniors, disabled, clubs and individual swimmers.

It is almost impossible to believe that an Australian local government council could be so inconsiderate and foolish to demolish an existing complex in the full knowledge that there were insufficient funds to replace it.

We ratepayers now find that the extraordinary rate rise that our miserable council begged from the State Government was not enough to meet the cost of six new surf clubs and the leisure centre.

The councillors overseeing the project, namely Holstein, Bockholt, and Penton, were in a position to ensure that this situation did not arise.

They failed to do so.

These councillors should immediately resign and save the voters the trouble of removing them.

These same people wanted a glorious monument for their time on council.

Instead they created a desolate, useless waste of space.

David M Casey, Ettalong Beach