Long-time former manager Lesley Berg refers to Winchelsea Pool as her baby, so she is excited about its rebirth as a sparkling community asset.
Lesley saw generations of locals come and go while managing the pool for the best part of 18 years from the late 1970s, and grew deep appreciation of how much it means to people.
"I always think the pool is a hub of a community really because the whole family can go down and enjoy it, all at once," she says.
"It's a big asset to the town."
The community-built and much-loved Winchelsea pool provided summer fun and respite for 60 years, until the end of its working life.
Now, following $8.9 million redevelopment fully funded by Surf Coast Shire Council, it is opening for many more decades in a new era for the town. Gates opened to the community with free admission from 10am on Saturday 22 February.
The redevelopment includes new 25m and leisure pools with heated water, splash park, pavilion, shelters, landscaping, barbecue and plant room.
"I think it's wonderful," Lesley says.
Lesley shared the manager role with the late Barb Holmes for several years.
She also taught Austswim and served as community pool committee secretary-treasurer for many years – numbering in a long and distinguished line of big-hearted, community-focused people who kept the pool running for the greater good.
"We had lots of fun times, and at that stage we had a committee of management and had to raise the funds to run the pool so we had cabaret balls and all those sorts of things," Lesley says.
"We would have a working bee to get the pool ready for the start of the season and have 35 volunteers there. It was terrific."
Countless volunteer hours and immeasurable volunteer energy accounted for upkeep of the grounds and buildings across decades, and tasks like annual emptying and cleaning of the pool.
Lions Club volunteers led fund-raising and organising for building of the pool and accompanying assets.
Community stalwart Mick O'Mara was installed as an early president of the pool committee not long after having arrived in town as a teacher and been sent along to the annual meeting by his principal.
"They called for nominations for president and said what about you Mick," he says.
"I couldn't think of any reason why not, so I became president for maybe eight years."
He succeeded Jack Schroeter, who was also a mainstay with the Lions Club, and was eventually succeeded by Jack's son Harry.
Mick says the pool has proven an immeasurable asset for Winchelsea.
"There were very few pools in small country towns at that stage," he says.
"It's so great for kids and families, and I'm very much an advocate for teaching kids to swim as soon as you possibly can.
"It was one of the drivers in us shifting to Winchelsea all those years ago. When we drove around having a look at the town – oh it's got a pool!"
Lesley and Mick will be among guests of honour at the official opening of the new pool on 27 February.
Community members will come together to celebrate the start of the new era at a free family fun day from 10am to 5pm on 2 March.
