Clublinks State Manager Matt Day told a public meeting of about 50 people at the Shire of Toodyay’s new $14 million recreation centre that the pool was built with heating pipes already installed.

He said later that it may cost less than $10,000 annually to keep the new 25m pool heated to about 27C.

His company would absorb the extra $150,000 to $200,000 cost of installing new equipment to keep the pool warm during Toodyay’s chilly winter months.

“We don’t want local people driving past this pool to swim in Northam because ours is not heated,” Mr Day told the meeting.

“We’d like it heated by April next year, but the worst-case scenario is by June 2021.
Mr Day said a mix of solar panels and mains power would be used for year-round water heating.

“We’ve already got quotes and are preparing a detailed business case to put to the shire,” he said.
“Running costs won’t be massive – possibly under $10,000 a year – we are still investigating the detail.”

Opening hours planned from November 1 to March 31 are 7am to 6.30pm on weekdays and 8am to 6pm weekends.

April and October next year will be 7am to 10am and 3pm to 6pm on weekdays, and 9am to 3pm on weekends.

Winter hours will be announced when heating is added.
Proposed entry fees are $5 for adults and $4 for children and concession card holders, including pensioners and seniors.

A full season pass will cost $90 for adults and $80 for children.
Tennis court hire will cost $30 an hour.

Mr Day said the new facility would give priority to employing local residents.
The workforce would consist of five or six full-time employees and four or five casuals.

“Our main priority at the moment is to recruit more lifeguards so that we can keep the pool open for the planned hours.

“We also need casual customer service staff and sports umpires for night-time basketball and other competitions, mainly starting after Christmas.”

The company has started a new Toodyay Recreation Centre Facebook page which says training is free for casual shifts starting next month.

Working as a lifeguard requires a current police check, working with children check, first aid qualifications and current aquatic lifeguard qualifications or an interest to be trained in this field

Anyone interested should email their resume and a brief introductory letter venue manager Beck Foulkes-Taylor at bfoulkes-taylor@toodyayreccentre.com.au

Toodyay Shire CEO Suzie Haslehurst said the Toodyay Recreation Centre – including the pool – would be officially opened at with civic ceremony on Saturday November 21.

The inquiry followed 11 months of monitoring by Perth local government officials after a formal warning that the shire had shown “not only a lack of understanding of the provisions of legislation also a propensity to misinterpret other legalities and procedures”.

THE MINISTER authorised the inquiry to examine:

• the adequacy of and adherence to council policies and procedures by elected members and administration staff;
• enforcement actions undertaken by the Shire of Toodyay;
  the function of the audit committee;
• declarations of interests by elected members;
• the culture within the shire, and
• any other matter that comes to the person’s attention during the inquiry.

The investigation included the loss of more than $570,000 of ratepayers’ money in a failed legal action against two former shire leaders, other botched court cases that cost tens of thousands of dollars, unlawful rates, a failed bid to sell O’Reilly’s Cottage for $530,000 and the resignation of former Cr Di Granger amid allegations of bullying.

Investigators attended council meetings, examined shire records and questioned witnesses during their probe.

A draft report on the findings was sent to the State Solicitor’s Office earlier this year to decide if any prosecutions should occur.

A confidential edited version was sent to councillors in July for comment before a final report was forwarded to the Minister.

The State will publish the findings when they are tabled in Parliament.

New Shire CEO Suzie Haslehurst said it was likely the findings would also be published on the shire website.

Anyone now wanting to light a fire – no matter how small – must first obtain a shire permit with strict conditions which must be adhered to.

Permits generally require at least two independent sources of pressurised water – such as a mobile firefighting unit on the back of a ute.

For example, a single hose supplying water from an electric pump connected to a mains electricity supply is insufficient because a power cut will stop the flow of water.

People who obtain permission to light fires this month are required by law to ensure it is

done correctly – failure to do so may result in an infringement notice or prosecution.
All fires must be carefully watched and managed at all times until they are completely extinguished.

This is particularly important for people with small ‘lifestyle’ bush blocks who may live elsewhere and visit Toodyay only on weekends and holidays.

Most local farmers will have already completed their burning-off and we find it is generally smaller landholders who want to burn at this time of the year.

Volunteer firefighters have arrived at bushfires in recent years to find a locked gate and the owner gone after leaving the smouldering remains of a fire that later re-ignited and burnt out of control.

Police involvement is likely in such cases of negligence.

Bush fire control officers appointed by the shire will assess all applications for permits in line with local conditions.

If issued, a permit lasts up to seven days but that doesn’t automatically mean that a fire can be safely lit at all timMinister gets final report on Toodyay inquiry findingses during that period.

It is essential that anyone with a permit to light a fire should first check local weather conditions before starting.

Local wind forecasts need to be checked to ensure they remain light for the duration of a fire and that no change of direction is predicted.

Some people mistakenly assume that a forecast of rain means it is safe to light a fire but in fact it usually indicates strengthening winds and a change of direction.

Look for low and consistent winds over the entire period of a fire.

I highly recommend that people use the Bureau of Meteorology’s MetEye online weather forecasts to check three-hourly predictions for wind strength and direction, relative humidity and temperature.

Burning should occur according to conditions – not the calendar.
If in doubt, it is better not to burn at all and wait until conditions improve.

I would also like to remind all local property owners that they have until Saturday November 1 to ensure their properties comply with the Shire of Toodyay’s annual Fire-Break Notice.

Perimeter firebreaks are not designed to prevent fires from spreading but to allow safe and ready access for firefighting vehicles responding to emergency callouts.

Firebreak notices also include other requirements such as removing overhanging branches from buildings and maintaining low fuel areas around buildings.

Shire rangers will start checking properties from Sunday November 1.
Ratepayers and occupiers risk fines if they are found to be in breach of their firebreak notices.

Everyone is urged to play their part to help our community prepare for this year’s fire season.

This includes preparing your property, discussing your fire plan with your family and keeping abreast of restrictions, alerts and warnings.

Visit emergency.wa.gov.au and listen to ABC local radio to stay abreast of Total Fire Ban information, alerts and warnings.

The shire’s free SMS service provides information on harvest, vehicle movement and hot works bans, other restrictions imposed by bush fire control officers or changes to prohibited or restricted burning periods – simply SMS the word BANS to 0408 017 439 to subscribe.

Your efforts can greatly help our dedicated volunteer firefighters to keep our community safe and protect lives and property.

Anyone interested in joining a volunteer bush fire brigade to learn valuable new skills with a great team of like-minded people should contact their local brigade or the shire.

More information is available on the shire website at toodyay.wa.gov.au and the WA Department of Fire and Emergency Services at dfes.wa.gov.au.