Tuesday 18 September, 2012

Dive in to the new swimming season on Monday when the South and West War Memorial Swimming Pool (Scully Park) opens its gates.

With a gas heating system keeping the water at comfortable 25 degrees Celcius, the Kent Street pool is the only one of Tamworth Regional Council's six pool complexes to open for the spring school holidays.

Pools at Barraba, Manilla, Kootingal, Nundle and in the Tamworth CBD will open two weeks later on Monday 8 October.

While the public have to wait until Monday to test the waters at Scully Park, hundreds of water polo players from around the State will have access on Saturday and Sunday to take part in Tamworth Water Polo Association's annual Southgate Inn Invitational Water Polo tournament.

Tamworth Regional Council Pools Technical Officer Gary Johnson said the carnival will get the local swimming season off to a busy start.

'Council was happy to be able to work with Tamworth Water Polo Association to allow access to the Scully Park facilities early to be able to hold the carnival two days before the official start to the swimming season there,' he said.

'It's a great event to kick off the season. The recent London Olympics highlighted what a great spectator sport water polo is and with junior and senior representative players in the water it's sure to be a tight contest. Anyone who wants to watch the finals should get to the pool around lunch time on Sunday.' 

A team of about 36 staff, including six pool supervisors, will work at Council's six pools during the 2012/2013 swimming season.

'We're hoping for a better season weather-wise this year,' Mr Johnson said. 'Last summer was so mild and wet we had the lowest number of people in about 10 years through the gates. It would be great to have a warm October to encourage local residents to get into the swim of things for summer.' 

Click here to see the operating hours for pools across the region.

This season Tamworth Regional Council will run Swim and Survive Learn to Swim sessions for the first time at Kootingal, Manilla and Barraba pools as well as Tamworth Olympic Pool and Scully Park.

For full details click here.

For information on pool entry fees and how to save money on pool entry, click here.