Resident Margaret Henman has been pushing for a heated pool to be added at the Leeton pool precinct since last year.

The idea gained momentum following the announcement council had been successful in gaining $3 million from the state government to upgrade the complex. 

Plans submitted for that funding did not include a heated pool, which means the funding cannot be used for that purpose. It has to instead go towards the original project. 

Following that announcement, Mrs Henman attempted to rally the community to get behind a heated pool for Leeton, with hundreds of people commenting on different channels that it was something the shire needed. 

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She was invited to present to council and councillors last Wednesday and urged residents to turn up in support of the idea. 

“There were about 16 interested constituents that attended the meeting,” Mrs Henman said.

“I was a bit disappointed as there had been so many people contact me saying how Leeton needed a heated indoor pool and how they wanted to support the proposal.

“I also had 350 signatures on a petition.”

The idea of a heated pool in Leeton has been supported by sporting clubs, psychotherapists and those who use Griffith’s own heated pool to help with health issues. 

Mrs Henman was thankful the discussion on the heated pool was able to be heard, but said she felt most of the councillors “weren’t listening”. 

“I felt most of the councillors weren’t very interested in what I had to say,” she said.

“I felt they had already decided there would be no heated pool for Leeton.

“There was really only one councillor that took an interest and that was councillor Tony Ciccia, the others looked uninterested and bored.”

At the meeting, mayor Paul Maytom suggested a feasibility study into the idea and that he would like to see it completed by April in time for a costing estimate in July. 

“I would like to suggest (to) community members that are interested in having a heated pool, that they write a letter to or talk to Leeton councillors and let them know their feelings,” Mrs Henman said.

“These councillors are there to work for the community, not a selected few. We will be voting for these councillors in the next elections (in 2020).”

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