The Huonville Swimming Pool is in line for a $3.5 million overhaul after the Huon Valley Council voted to save the facility from potential closure.
Council officers told the March meeting the post-war memorial pool faced “a critical risk of being unable to open for the 2026-27 season” without major works.
Opening costs blew out to $45,000 last season, more than triple the $13,000 spent the year before, due to emergency repairs, a failing heating system and deteriorating pool surfaces.
The 50-metre outdoor pool is the only one of its kind operating south of Hobart and drew more than 26,000 visitors last season.
Councillors backed the ‘Bronze Plus’ option, which includes resurfacing both pools, replacing the heating system, installing a wet deck, upgrading the concourse and adding a disability-accessible ramp.
The works are expected to give the pool another 35 years of life.
Council has $1.5 million already allocated, but officers have been directed to include the remaining $2 million in the draft 2026-27 budget for consideration at a special meeting in June.
Staff ruled out simply patching the pool on a limited budget, warning it offered “no assurance of ongoing operation or significant lifespan extension” and carried “the realistic risk of major failure and operation disruption that could cost the community and undermine the council’s financial sustainability”.
Closing the pool was also dismissed as unacceptable given its role as a key community facility.
Two larger proposals were put on the table – a $5-6 million option with a cafe and a $10 million-plus plan for a year-round indoor aquatic centre – but both were deferred for further investigation through next year’s budget process.
The pool operates seasonally from November to early April and runs at an annual deficit of about $130,000.
