PRINCIPALS at Kangaroo Flat schools say they are thrilled with the decision to approve the Greater Bendigo Indoor Aquatic Leisure and Wellbeing Centre and include a 50 metre pool.
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The City of Greater Bendigo approved the project at a council meeting on Wednesday night. The project will involve demolishing the existing Kangaroo Flat Community Leisure Centre.
The decision comes after debate over whether to build a 50m or 25m pool in the aquatic centre.
Kangaroo Flat Primary School acting principal Kim Saddlier said common sense had prevailed.
"It will provide us with a great opportunity as a school community as well as the greater Kangaroo Flat community to be able to utilise the facilities that meet the needs of our community," she said.
Ms Saddlier said the school currently used the pool in Eaglehawk and the cost of transporting students was passed onto families.
She said with the new centre students would potentially be able to walk to the swimming program.
St Monica's Catholic Primary School principal Reuben Johnson praised council for listening to what the community wanted.
He said the school used the outdoor pool in Browning Street but was restricted to running their program in the warmer months.
"We will have the freedom of being able to run our swimming program over the entire year and if it suits extend the program because of the facilities," he said.
Bendigo Special Development School assistant principal Jacqui Righetti also agreed and said it would help encourage students and their families to be more active and look after their health.
The eight lane swimming pool, including a 1.5 metre removable boom, will be accessible all year round. It also includes an indoor splash area, learn to swim pool, hydro pool, wellness centre, spa and sauna, gym, multipurpose rooms and cafe.
The cost to council is estimated to be about $13 million while the state government will provide $15 million.
The Kangaroo Flat Community Enterprise has committed $1 million and another $1 million will come from the management rights of the centre.
KFCE president Jack Lyons said the group had already raised $100,000 for the centre. He said ideas on how to raise the remaining funds had been in the works for weeks.
"We formally met with Bendigo Bank some weeks ago. They asked me to come in so they could see how they could help out. We have also been in talks with Hazeldene's," he said.
"We have also had multiple smaller businesses ring up wanting to know how they can help out."
