A sydney pools was a swimming pool at a surf beach or coastal area, especially in the earliest days of surf lifesaving. Originally built in the 19th century, when few Sydneysiders regarded the beach as a recreational space, ocean pools provided safe swimming during rough sea conditions. By 1901, most surfside municipalities had them, including Newcastle, Wollongong and the city’s own Bondi, Bronte and Coogee baths. Like all seaside pools, they were gender-segregated in accordance with prevailing British notions of respectability.
In addition to the break-in, Gaier says the city’s already short-handed staff had to work extra hours at the pool Wednesday to clean up and repair the damage. This took them away from other tasks they needed to complete, and resulted in loss of revenue for the park.
The city is trying to determine how much the break-in and cleanup will cost, Gaier says. He believes it will exceed $10,000. “We’re not sure how the perpetrators got in, but they took paint, which was used to touch-up the pools, and a lot of stocked chemicals,” he said. “That’s a big amount of product that was wasted.”
It is not the first time the pool has been breached, Gaier says. It was broken into in the early hours of Monday and Tuesday mornings as well. The last breach was the most serious, with items being stolen and chemicals dumped into a filter pit. Gaier says the breach was the third this year, but the previous two were more a nuisance with items being thrown around and less of a waste of materials.
The City of Sydney’s rules governing swimming pools state that “no swimming pool shall be constructed, installed or located within the front of any lot line, in any yard or any area of a residence or in or under any verandah”. However, in practice, the city has been lenient and allowed private pools to be built in some of these areas. This has caused a great deal of controversy among residents who say their privacy and safety are being invaded. Others have pointed out that the pools also increase the risk of sharks and other aquatic critters. The issue is being debated in the NSW parliament. It’s hoped that the new laws will provide more protection and reduce the number of private pools. The government will review the proposed changes later this year, according to a press release. In the meantime, residents can find more information about their city’s swimming pool regulations and apply for a permit to build one. A list of approved locations and rules can be found on the city’s website. The application process is free. Applicants are asked to submit a site plan and a security deposit of $100. The City of Sydney will then review the application and issue a building permit. If the applicant is approved, the permit will be valid for three years. After that, the application must be renewed.
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