Next summer, take a dip in the Yass and Binalong pools on a hot day for free.
Yass Valley Council has made a provision of free entry to both pools for residents of the areas in its 2020-21 budget. Residents from other areas where natural disasters have occurred will also be given a free day's access to the pools.
The council has resolved to restrict the number of free entry days to a maximum 10 each season and not more than five each month.
In December 2019, a trial of free entry to the Yass and Binalong pools was conducted on days where the temperature exceeded 40 degrees Celsius.
After the trial, it was determined that free entry to the Yass and Binalong pools required additional expenditure of $5530 for additional lifeguards and $2662.66 in foregone entry fees. This excluded additional running costs of the pools, or $8192.66 over the seven days, a council report said.
At the ordinary meeting of February 26, councillor Jasmin Jones said the trial had been a great thing for the community. It had helped quadruple attendance numbers at the Binalong pool and double attendance numbers at the Yass pool.
"During stressful times, when communities were affected by bushfires, free pool entry gave people a safe place to be with their friends and families," Cr Jones said at the meeting.
"It brought a lot of people to the pool who wouldn't have otherwise been there. I saw teenagers, fathers with their kids at the pool; and there was a wonderful atmosphere."
The pools are now in autumn hours:
- Yass, weekdays 2pm-6.30pm, weekends 12.30pm-6.30pm; plus morning lap swimming until March 13, Mon, Wed, Fri, 6am-8am
- Binalong, weekdays 3pm-6.30pm, weekends 1pm-6.30pm
