Yellow spray paint appeared on the road into Bushy Park overnight, calling Derwent Valley mayor Michelle Dracoulis “weak as piss” and demanding the council save the local pool.
The graffiti went down hours after the council announced the Bushy Park War Memorial Swimming Pool would not reopen.
The decision, posted to the council’s Facebook page on Monday, said there was “no way forward” for the pool to operate lawfully.
It cited seven compliance issues, including lost parking, non-compliant wastewater infrastructure and the inability to secure an EPA permit for discharge into the adjacent river.
The reversal comes after councillors, in October 2025, voted unanimously to save and restore the pool, with a planned reopening for summer 2026.
Dracoulis responded to the backlash on Tuesday morning with a lengthy statement on social media.
“There’s been a lot said over the last 24 hours. Some of it’s understandable. Some of it simply isn’t true. So let’s be clear,” she said.
“This isn’t about willingness. It’s about whether the facility can legally and safely operate.”
“Councillors don’t certify facilities ourselves. We rely on professional advice, regulatory requirements and the law.”
“There is no alternative decision available to us.”
Dracoulis said the issues had existed for decades but had only recently been properly assessed against current standards.
She also addressed the graffiti directly.
“Finally, defacing public roads, particularly on a school route, on the second day back at school, is not the answer,” she said.
“I understand frustration. I’ll always front up and explain decisions. But this needs to be grounded in facts.”
The council’s own statement included an unreserved apology for earlier guarantees that the pool would reopen, conceding those statements were made “without having sought professional advice”.
A petition to save the pool previously gathered more than 900 signatures.
The council says it will hold a community drop-in session at Bushy Park in the coming weeks to discuss alternative uses for the site, including a splash pad, picnic facilities and war memorial restoration.
