We, the undersigned, petition the City of Bayswater Council to reverse its decision to demolish Maylands Waterland at the end of this summer season. Instead, we ask that Council postpone any closure of the facility until after the next State Government election (expected in March 2021).

This will give the community the chance to secure the external funding needed to refurbish the pools, in line with the outcome of the City’s lengthy community consultation process.

Maylands Waterland is a unique facility in the metropolitan area as it provides a safe environment for babies and young children up to the age of 10 years old to be gradually introduced to water.

Despite its ageing infrastructure, the lack of promotion and any attempt to optimise the potential of the facility, Maylands Waterland is still a popular community facility, attracting around 37,000 people every year. In hot summers, patronage can reach up to 42,000 people.

As more than 80% of the Waterland’s visitors travel from outside the City of Bayswater, Waterland should be recognised as a regional facility. There is a strong case for the State Government to contribute significant funds to refurbish the pools.

The Bayswater Council’s decision in July 2018 to allow the officers only four months to lobby for external funding to pay for the full cost of the refurbishment project was doomed to fail. We all know that it is unlikely that any financial assistance will be given by the State Government at this point in time.

We are not asking the Council to contribute the full funds needed for the project. We are only requesting that the Waterland be allowed to operate for two more seasons (2019/20 and 2020/21) and that the community be given the opportunity to seek money for its refurbishment.

This is the least that the Council can do for its residents, having assured them in the last couple of years that it would keep the pools, and only changing its mind as recently as July.

Please sign the petition, share it with others and visit the Waterland this season to help keep the case strong (The site is already open).

It’s also very important that you contact your Ward councillors and ask them to support the petition, as some councillors think that the Waterland is only important to people living around it:

West Ward: Mayor Dan Bull, Cr Lorna Clarke, Cr Giorgia Johnson
dan.bull@bayswater.wa.gov.au; lorna.clarke@bayswater.wa.gov.au; giorgia.johnson@bayswater.wa.gov.au;

Central Ward: Deputy Mayor Chris Cornish, Cr Sally Palmer, Cr Barry McKenna
chris.cornish@bayswater.wa.gov.au; sally.palmer@bayswater.wa.gov.au; barry.mckenna@bayswater.wa.gov.au;

North Ward: Cr Stephanie Gray, Cr Filomena Piffaretti, Cr Michelle Sutherland
stephanie.gray@bayswater.wa.gov.au; filomena.piffaretti@bayswater.wa.gov.au; michelle.sutherland@bayswater.wa.gov.au;

South Ward: Cr Catherine Ehrhardt, Cr Elli Petersen-Pik
catherine.ehrhardt@bayswater.wa.gov.au;
elli.petersen-pik@bayswater.wa.gov.au;