A petition is calling for Dubbo Regional Council to reinstate Nick Wilson as the manager of the Dubbo Aquatic and Leisure Centre (DALC) after they voted to cease his management contract.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
During a Dubbo Regional Council, councillors voted to cease the management contract of the DALC with B and N Aquatics in March 2019 in line with the terms of the contract.
The management of the Dubbo Aquatic and Leisure Centre will be brought in-house and managed internally under the Recreation and Open Space function.
On April 11, Dubbo's Claire Hargreaves started the change.org petition which called for Dubbo Council to reinstate Mr Wilson as the pool's manager.
In just four days more than 3000 people signed the petition.
ALSO MAKING NEWS: Dubbo police recognise Aboriginal liasion officer from Narromine
In explaining why she decided to start the petition, Ms Hargreaves said not only does she use the pool regularly but that Mr Wilson was amazing at his job, something that the whole community can reiterate.
"From the outside looking in, it just seems like he as been brushed aside," she added.
"I just thought 'we can't let it go'. I knew that the community would support him and I just thought a petition would be the easiest way to get people to support him.
"And if nothing else came of it, (the petition would) just show him that he has the support of the locals."
Ms Hargreaves said the amount of signatures in support of Mr Wilson's didn't surprise her.
"Anyone that walks into that pool knows what a great job he does," she said,
"Everyone is just mind blown...It's been running so so well... so why change it?"
A media release from by DRC on April 15 stated that "bringing the management internal will mean the income generated from the pool - which is a community asset - will now go back into the pool facilities rather than to an external contracted business.
"Giving the community greater transparency on the operations of all three pools - income and expense," the DRC statement read.
Ms Hargreaves is a teacher at St Lawrence's and said for 10 years the school have used the DALC for their learn to swim and swim survive programs.
But with the pool's new management direction, Ms Hargreaves explained there are concerns these learn to swim programs won't go ahead.
ALSO MAKING NEWS: Pet food shortage continues at Dubbo Woolworths
Ms Hargreaves also said Mr Wilson bends over backwards to help the school run their swim carnivals.
"You only have to go down on a Saturday and see the amount of birthday parties that are held at the pool," she added.
"That's because families feel safe. And they know they're going to have a good time."
In the DRC statement it said that "there is no anticipated reduction in programs being delivered - rather Council is looking at service enhancement and consistency through the employment of a Swim and Water Activities Officer that will develop and deliver a broader range of water related programs."