General News
16 January, 2023
Goal to help locals get back in the pool
Avoca’s Friends of the Pool are on a mission to help a young resident — and more community members — get back in the water, setting a goal to raise at least $10,000 to install a pool lift. The ambitious target came about after the Friends of...
Avoca’s Friends of the Pool are on a mission to help a young resident — and more community members — get back in the water, setting a goal to raise at least $10,000 to install a pool lift.
The ambitious target came about after the Friends of the Pool committee heard a request from a community member about a local young person who could no longer access the outdoor pool due to an incurable physical condition.
“When I took the request to our committee, we realised there were a lot of people in the community who were in the same situation — they couldn’t attend the pool because they couldn’t get in or out safely,” Avoca Friends of the Pool president Belinda Costigan said.
“We decided it was a viable project and put it forward to council and the pool management for approval, and we then decided to step up and purchase it on behalf of the community.”
Pool lifts help people with reduced mobility safely in and out of pools, and once installed will be one of the few outdoor pools in the region to have one.
The Friends of the Pool group are running a GoFundMe account with a goal of $10,000, but total costs are likely to be around the $12,000 to $15,000 mark as the lift will need to be custom designed for the Avoca pool.
“We have to be realistic, it’s a big purchase,” Ms Costigan said.
“We’re putting in for community grants and will be doing a lot of fundraising with sausage sizzles or ice cream days at the pool.
“We’re very confident between it all that we will have the funds to install the lift and maintain it.”
Encouragingly, Ms Costigan said word about the project is already spreading.
“The lifeguards at the pool have told me people are already coming in to find out if the lift is there. It’s really good to hear there are people we may not have even considered who can use it,” she said.
“The support we have so far received from the community has been absolutely amazing. People are telling us it’s a fantastic idea, and we only started the GoFundMe in the last week but we’ve already raised $520.
“It’s reassured us we’re doing the right thing for everyone.”
Maryborough’s indoor pool has a lift, however there are no outdoor pools in the immediate region with lifts.
To donate to the Avoca lift project, visit www.gofundme.com and search for ‘Avoca Friends of the Pool needs your help!’ or keep an eye on the Avoca Friends of the Pool Facebook page for fundraising events and updates.