The City of Greater Bendigo is seeking community input to help develop and design the splash park, which will replace the decommissioned Long Gully Swimming Pool. 

The pool was closed due to a decline in the amount of people using it.

The City of Greater Bendigo’s recreation acting manager Lincoln Fitzgerald said the move toward closing the pool and funding a water splash park represented the changing demands of the community.

“We’ve seen really low usage of the Long Gully swimming pool,” he said. 

“Trends are changing with swimming pools and people no longer want somewhere they can just go and swim laps. We believe the splash park will be a way of bringing people back to the area.”

Mr Fitzgerald said the designs for the park would depend on people’s suggestions. 

He said it would likely involve slides and water fountains and would double as a regular playground during winter. 

The council is seeking members from community groups including the Long Gully Neighbourhood House, Men’s Shed, former Long Gully Swimming Pool Committee, a local preschool representative, primary school student, and a member of the disability sector.

Community well-being director Pauline Gordon said the role of each member on the Community Project Reference Group was to gather information and represent the best interests of their sector. 

“The individual group members will be a voice of the community over different sectors,” she said.

Mr Fitzgerald said the council was hoping to have the park open by December 2013.

Expressions of interest in joining the committee must be addressed to recreation acting manager Lincoln Fitzgerald and submitted to the City of Greater Bendigo office at 195 Lyttleton Terrace, Bendigo; mailed to PO Box 733 Bendigo 3552; or emailed to enquiries@bendigo.vic.gov.au by 5pm Friday, December 21.