Some of the repairs made to the pool included relining the filtration system return pipes, stabilising the main wall of the 50 metre pool and concrete grinding to remove tripping hazards on the concourse.

The cost of a new pool is estimated between six and 10 million dollars. The Dubbo Regional Council shortlisted the pool to receive $3 million at its Monday meeting. The shortlist of projects will be presented for public consultation from Thursday.  

In a recent media release, Dubbo Regional Council Parks and Landcare Director Ian McAlister said that the pool is nearing the end of it’s useful life. 

‘The pool at Wellington had a substantial leak for many years and was found to be structurally unsound,’ Mr McAlister said. 

Wellington Swimming Association president Jo Clarke said that the pool is over 50 years old and is well and truly overdue for a substantial update. 

“To get the $50,000 for repairs in the first place is a big thing for us, let alone now talking about a completely new pool,” Mrs Clarke said. 

She stated that the $50,000 repair job was desperately needed.  

Western Plains Regional Council Administrator and long-time Wellington resident Michael Kneipp agreed the repairs were required.

He said that closing the pool this season to begin the rebuild was never an option.

“There were several safety issues surrounding the pool, so the repairs were completely necessary.

“If the pool were to completely shut down for a season, Wellington would be tremendously disadvantaged.

“For Wellington to go without a pool would have been really hard, especially considering the forecast for a hot and dry summer,” Mr Kneipp said.  

He also said the pool was due for stylistic update, being only six lanes wide, and most Olympic pools are eight lanes wide.