Swimming clubs are not in danger of going under due to a proposed 25 per cent price hike at Darwin Council-run pools, with Lord Mayor Kon Vatskalis saying he is confident a solution to the dilemma can be negotiated.
Council proposed the price rise, the first in eight years, to the clubs as part of its draft budget, saying it is necessary to meet running costs.
If council’s draft budget is passed in its current form, the rise will come into effect on July 1 at Parap, Casuarina and Nightcliff pools.
Both Casuarina and Darwin swimming clubs have voiced their concerns about the proposal, saying the fee increase would mean costs of up to $70,000 to the clubs for pool entry and lane hire.
However, Mayor Vatskalis said nothing was set in stone and he had recently met with both clubs.
“We had a really good discussion, they presented their case, and we’ll have a look at it,” he said.
“I do not want to see non-profit sport organisations go under because we support all of them.
“I will go back and see that we negotiate a separate agreement with these non-profit sports clubs to find out how we can address those concerns and negate the issues they’ve got.
“I’m confident we will reach an agreement and find a solution for everybody.”
Casuarina Swimming Club’s Damian White said when you added together what parents paid for their children to enter the facility and the increased lane hire fees, the 25 per cent rise was a huge increase.
“That is a lot of money for an amateur club of volunteers to have to fork out,” he told the NT News.
“We’d have to sell an extra 9500 sausages to cover the increase. I reckon most clubs would struggle really badly.”
Mayor Vatskalis confirmed council would make a decision on the draft budget based on public feedback in the next month.
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