Stockton residents will gather at Stockton pool this weekend to protest increased entry fees and reduced hours.
Chelle Heath says the reduction in pool hours and increase in entry fees has the whole community angry.
“I am yet to find any resident who is opposed to this cause,” she said. “Over the past few years we have seen the price of the pool gradually increase, and each year people have been more and more concerned about it”.
(link to other story) It comes as news of Newcastle Council’s $4-million upgrade of Merewether Baths has angered residents from the outer suburbs of Newcastle who say they’re being treated unfairly when it comes to access to their pools.
Chelle is quick to emphasise the entitlement felt by residents, many of whom helped raise the funds to build the pool.
“Many will tell you of the hours they spent selling raffle tickets and organising events to make a pool a possibility, and now they can’t afford to use it,” she said.
Protestors are calling for an entry fee of $2 and restored weekend hours.
“All we are hoping for is a reasonable outcome, and anything less than this is not reasonable,” said Chelle.
