Indoor Pool Funding Hits a Wall

The Moorabool Aquatic and Recreation Centre (MARC) has been under construction in Bacchus Marsh for the past year, but lack of funding has ceased any current plans for the indoor pool.

The recreation centre has been fully funded by the local council and Victorian government, and is anticipated to be opened by the end of the year, unlike the aquatic centre.

The indoor pool has only received $15 million in funding from the Moorabool Shire Council, with no subsidies being provided by the federal or state government, regardless of previous promises being made. Bacchus Marsh has been seeking millions from the Albanese government, but the release of the 2023 Federal Budget shows that not one cent will go towards the aquatic centre.

Moira Berry, councillor of the Moorabool Shire, said that the reclassification of Bacchus Marsh has impacted funding for the pool drastically.

“The Australian Bureau of Statistics now recognise Bacchus Marsh as urban, rather than rural. This decision has made it even more difficult for funding the aquatic centre, so we think it is political that they recently chose to rezone the area,” she said.

The Moorabool Shire Council were originally planning to apply for the Growing Regions Program, which provides local government entities with up to $15 million in grants. However, Bacchus Marsh is no longer eligible for this fund, so the council are only able to apply for the Thriving Suburbs Program, which is a grant providing only $200 million to a large number of urban communities.

“We are a small shire, and Bacchus Marsh is a small town, so we will then be up against bustling areas like Melton and the Wyndam shire, which has a population of over 300,000. So, their needs for what they might want or need is going to be greater than ours,” she said. “It is certainly too difficult for us to go up against them, so we feel like the Thriving Suburbs fund is not really applicable to us, but it is the only one we can now go for.”

According to the Moorabool Shire Council, 56% of Bacchus Marsh residents travel outside the area to engage in swimming activities in other indoor pools, accentuating the demand for the MARC in the local region.

“As councillors, we are all very concerned, as the money won’t be released until possibly 2025, and that’s only if we get the funding. Mind you, the indoor pool is currently shovel ready, which means the land is available and the architectural plans are all done. It’s just a waiting game now, and it has been for a long time,” Berry said.

The MARC is estimated to generate 100-200 direct and indirect jobs, and $100 million in economic growth, displaying its significance in the Bacchus Marsh community.

At this time, it is estimated that the Moorabool aquatic centre will be completed by 2026.