Rosi Punton voiced concerns about the aging Long Gully pool earlier this week and accused the City of Greater Bendigo of deliberately running it down.

The council has earmarked the pool’s closure to make way for an indoor aquatic centre in Kangaroo Flat.

Long Gully resident Pamela Power said the pool was a vital part of the community. “We’d love to keep it,” she said.

“A lot of people are pretty angry and it’s not really clear what’s going on. Everyone’s a bit vague about it.”

Council’s manager of recreation Patrick Jess said before this season the pool was managed by the community.

The pool is now managed by the YMCA on behalf of council, and has been plagued by ongoing maintenance issues. Long Gully residents have been complaining about irregular opening dates and hours.

“A member of the community who had managed the pool on a voluntary basis for over 10 years was no longer able to do so,” Ms Power said.

“There was no time to have another community member trained in maintenance before opening season so the YMCA, who council had already asked to take on the role of hiring and paying the life guards, were asked if they could take on the maintenance.

“They were also asked if the community could continue to take on the management of the canteen but this was not viable to the YMCA.”

Fellow Long Gully resident Louise Weinstock said the pool was highly patronised before this season.

“People would come in, in droves,” she said. “It was a happening place.

“At the start of this season there were kids riding their bikes to the pool and sitting out the front waiting for it to open. But it didn’t open, and then it had irregular hours and they lost interest.

“This really seems like such a deliberate campaign to close the swimming pool.”