The following are selected responses to the online survey which was distributed on March 20th about Phillip

pools’
potential closure and the urbanisation of the local hub, Woden.

Q1. Can you tell me a little about you? and your relationship/ history with Phillip pool?

-Although I have not used the pool much in recent times because I do regular water aerobics at the pool in Erindale, I
have always loved Phillip pool as an out recreational pool as it is really lovely on a hot day. During the 80s and 90s
(and possibly early 2000's) I swam at the pool a lot during the summer and have many happy memories of this pool.
The reason I want to save it is because Woden needs a community facility like this swimming pool. I think it is very
mean spirited to want to close down this lovely facility.

-I include lap swimming as part of my weekly for fitness and exercise. I have also used it for remedial therapy after a
broken collar bone and other injuries over the year. I have been swimming at this pool for probably 30 years.

-I’ve been using PP for over 30 years.

-Swum there since 1980

-Long-time resident in Phillip & swam there as a family.

-I have lived in Curtin for 22 years and have used the pool in its opening months most years

-I have lived in the Woden area on and off for about 15 years. When my children were young I would like to go to the
Phillip pool but it was very expensive (does not have the government subsidy like other pools in Canberra), the grass
had bindies and the baby pool was often closed

-I've been swimming most as regularly as possible at Phillip Pool for 40 years

-Swimming 50m laps at the pool since I joined the public service and worked nearby in the 1990s.

-Have been a regular swimmer at Philip Pool since the late 1980s

-I’m a regular swimmer and swimming outside helps my mental health and keeps me active

-Live locally in apartment, like access to outdoor pool in summer. Very interested in outdoor activities.

-I live a 5 min drive away & have enjoyed using the outdoor pool in summer. My swimming club has had some
training sessions there.

-Have used it in the past & would love to again. Public pools are scarce in Canberra, with climate change making each
summer warmer - we need them more than ever.

Q2. How do you use/ how have you used Phillip pool? E.g. for its green/ public space, for organised swimming, for
recreational swimming, as a respite from the urban life, alone or with family...

-I always loved the recreational swimming on hot summer days and I think I might consider coming back next
Summer if it is open again.

-I use the pool for lap swimming over the years. My partner and I love to do laps together

-For swimming for fitness and mental health.

-Exercise lap swimming up to 3 times a week in season

-I like its open outdoor environment - I prefer swimming outside - I have used it for recreational swimming with my
family

-Recreational swimming, with family, birthday parties, respite from heat, exercise

-Recreational swimming, and general relaxation in the fresh air

-Lap swimming/fitness particularly as I have a chronic pain condition and swimming is an important part of my
therapy. Also

-As a child we used to do swimming carnivals there and also for recreational swimming. As an adult and parent, I
have taken my kids there as a recreational activity and for its green/public space.

-Regular 50m lap swimming for enjoyed fitness. 50m pools are difficult to access in Canberra because they are closed
for carnivals or divided into 2x25m.

-Regular lap swimmer and taught my children to swim there as well. Previously I was a regular with an adult swim
squad that trained at Philip in the 1990s

-Like the green outdoor space and with grandchildren like access to kid safe activities

-Cool green space and shade of established trees in summer. Clean, 50m lap pool for fitness, cooling the girls off on
hot summer afternoons

Q3. If possible, can you tell a bit more about why you use Phillip pool? E.g. how it is a part of your life, remedial
therapy, socialising, fitness...

-It was always my special happy place on hot summer days

-I use Phillip pool because it is outdoors, is 50 metres, is so lo peaceful especially the trees and grass where you can
sit and enjoy being outdoors. It is an essential part of my exercise regime.

-Fitness and it’s a lovely open green space. Water has been sparkling a delight to be in

-I’m older now & take the grandchildren in the summer.

-I have used the pool for recreation and rehabilitation. Also, to give my children the opportunity to practice
swimming outside of lessons

-There's no other water body for people who live in Woden Valley. We aren't near the Lake. During hot summer
months, you need a place to cool off. There are no other public pools in our area since Deakin shut. We're
discriminated against if Phillip Pool shuts particularly if child, elderly or on low income.

-Phillip Pool is conveniently located. Also, it’s on major bus routes

-Fitness, recreational, mental health, social.

-Fitness, weight loss, achievement of learning to swim properly at an older age, pleasure of being in water.

-I swim to maintain fitness and for mental health. As a competitive swimmer I appreciate having access to a 50m pool
rather than 25m. The Outside pool is also much nicer than indoor options like Stromlo or Civic

-I have mobility issues and can’t walk easily but I can swim, being outside means I get Vit D which helps with mental
health

-It is part of fabric of local area, as most around here in apartments having nearby green space and access to water.
Paradoxically the pool has been only intermittently open past few years with COVID and lots of BS from operators re
technical issues, so it gets less used and disappears from people’s routines.

-Enjoying the refreshing pool, the peaceful greenery around & being outdoors.

Q4. If Phillip pool were to close, would you consider it an issue for our community? How so?

-I feel there is a lack of swimming pools in Canberra, so we need to maintain the ones we have got.
-A very important issue. Woden is becoming a concrete jungle with very limited green space and more and more
people living there. There are some surrounding pools, but they are mostly housed inside apartment blocks. The
other pools which the Government sprukes about are the Stellar gym pool which is members only and a pool at
Deakin which is a swim school for children. Stromlo pool caters for the ever-increasing population of Molonglo and
all the suburbs out in that area. The government puts this pool forward as the alternative pool for Woden.

-Yes. Under no circumstances should this pool close. It’s a disgrace to even consider for an inland city with no beach.
Where would residents swim in the summer?

-Disastrous loss of health recreation facility as well as last green space in overdeveloped area

-Yes very much an issue. There is almost nothing recreational left in Woden.

-Yes - people can’t afford private pools and kids need to practice swimming so they don’t drown. It’s important too
for kids to swim 50 metres

-Yes definitely! It would be a huge loss. It would mean taking away a valuable recreational facility that contributes to
the health and well-being of Woden residents

-Yes. As noted about. It's highly inequitable. There's no pools in our region that's open to the public. Deakin closed.
You need a car to get to Civic, Manuka, Bruce or Dickson pools in hot summer months. And it's getting hotter.

-Very much an issue, were the pool to close. Development of such public facilities doesn't keep pace with population
growth

-A huge issue. It’s a litmus test for whether our government is listening, if they care about sustainable development,
or if they just do whatever greedy developers ask

-Yes, it represents one less public green space and recreational facility with easy access for the local community.

-It would be a huge loss for the community (and not just Woden)

-Huge issue where government need for revenue means they sell stuff off as as happened here , this leads to
undertakings that eventually get watered down (no pun intended)

-Yes, no lack pool facilities, lack of quiet green space

-It would increase the inequalities that communities here suffer. Public recreation amenities are necessary. We have
growing "have nots" & there's no other water body in summertime accessible to Woden Valley area. This pool is it if
we need to escape hot summers. Not everyone can afford to go to the South Coast.

-Yes. Last outdoor 50m pool in this area (there is only Dickson and Phillip left in the ACT).it is part of the town centre
and as Woden goes UP in such a huge way, having some green, with trees which is open to the community is so
important. It also gives the skyline a respite from skyscraper after skyscraper and is a place for people.

Q5. If Phillip pool closes, will you be able to access a similar facility? How will you access it? What would the
difference in commute be?

-With difficulty, during 2022 closure went to Queanbeyan as both Mt Stromlo and Dickson were overcrowded. I went
on several occasions and left without a swim as couldn’t find a lane to swim in, even to share.

-Phillip pool is accessible by bus from Curtin - it’s not possible to access any other pool so easily from Curtin

-No. The closest pool is Stromlo, and my kids cannot reach that by public transport easily. If I were to drive it would
be a 40 min round trip

-I'd be OK as have a car. But children & people who don't drive would be severely disadvantaged. Also, swimming
used to be a widespread skill in Australia. Now kids aren't learning how to swim & they're growing into adults who
die at the coast because they cannot swim. I learnt to swim as a child in WA. We should all have access.
-No there is no alternative outdoor pool for me to use

-I would go to Stromlo pool. It's harder to get to and would need me to drive (rather than walk). I would use the
facility less often.

-I have a car. But many people do not. It's not feasible to expect people to take the bus further away to go for a swim
as public transport is rubbish in Canberra particularly between Woden-Weston-Fyshwick etc. There are no
connections during the week & on weekends it's worse. Buses to the city make no sense. People would have to go to
Civic or Bruce, especially since we lost Deakin for swimming pool.

-No. Stromlo pool is the next closest. I have tried this-it was crushed to capacity on Sunday afternoons with queues
out of the door. The pools are full, it’s noisy, and for the first time ever I got an ear infection!!

Q6. Can you tell me your thoughts about the urbanisation of Woden town centre? Do you consider it sustainable?
What do you believe the impacts are/ could be?

-I am concerned because it seems more about apartments, apartments and more apartments and very little
recreational or community facilities.

-I feel that the urbanisation of Woden town centre if it keeps going with high rise apartments and no green space will
be unstainable and create an awful heat pad which is a very bad situation for increasing the temperature of Canberra

-Not at all I call them Suicide Towers, small cramped spaces in constant vie of each other no privacy, unreasonable to
live in and massive environmental impact of thermal mass and need for a/c units for each unit to manage reasonable
temperatures, so huge load on electricity grid!.

-Every piece of land has been built on. Nowhere in & around the town centre to sit outside in a natural green setting.
Edison Park is very nice but far away from the shops. There are no nice little pockets if green areas where people can
meet for a coffee catch up. The traffic in future could be a concern.

-It seems sad that there is so much high rise and less and less community space in Woden. If people want to live in
apartments, they need more community space and facilities

-I feel that the development of many apartment blocks means that there will be a huge increase in population. There
are not enough public recreational facilities to support this. Woden does not have a community centre, arts centre,
universities (they are all north side of Canberra)

-Woden is overdeveloped. Car use has risen phenomenally. Mass public transport services have declined significantly
in the last 10 years. Buses were cut & routes are inconvenient. It's disastrous. I no longer use the bus to get to work.
It's simply not feasible. I work in Barton. To get to the ANU from Garran to attend a work course recently would have
taken 1 hr each way. It was not an option. A colleague working at defence who lives in Weston has connections which
mean more than an hour commute each way. ACT has roundly ruined bus connections in the South of the ACT. We
are very badly served. All housing is expensive. It's a developers delight but nightmare for average residents &
consumers.

-Too much development, too rapidly for community facilities to keep pace.

-Unsustainable. There’s no strategy - just greed

-I would like to see more holistic consideration of what facilities are needed to support a sustainable and healthy
local community. I don't think all the apartment high density living is appropriate unless there is a boost to public
transport facilities, and access to public open space and recreational facilities are increased proportionally.

-I'm generally ok about development and apartments and think they will add vitality and modernise Woden, but I
don't want see the removal of public parks, pools and other facilities.

-The continual erection of ugly concrete blocks of small flats has been very detrimental - there is a loss of green
space, crowding, loss of parking, increased temperatures
-It’s sad to lose another green space

-I believe that Canberra NEEDS to get denser. Public transport and the small-town centres only remain viable with a
greater concentration of people. This shouldn't be done at the cost of sporting/recreational facilities.

-There needs to be things to do for kids and adults. High population density leads to potential problems. We need
more shops associated with the big buildings, it is crap we don’t have small milk bar or IGA within the urban maze,
green spaces need nurturing, the current green bits are sparse, filled with weeds and poorly maintained. There are
no playgrounds until you get out of the urban bit es

-Too much urbanisation, reduced community facilities, black buildings, must be hot & require more power for cooling

-It is getting far too dense & mass urban transport connections should have been sorted before the apartment
density ingredient.

-It’s OTT… to try to park to access Phillip pool is almost impossible as tradies take up all the spots ( & never seem to
get booked!!), there are so many tall buildings with concrete streets, very little green or colour if any kind. No shelter
for wildlife, no wildlife corridors. It seems there has been a land grab by developers, enabled by the ACT government.
It is a lifeless place at the weekends. Not at all people friendly. I hate it

Q7. If you could share an impact statement about the possible closure of Phillip pool to someone involved with the
decision, what would you say?

-The Phillip pool has been a very important part of the Canberra community for many years and should be kept open.
A lot of people like the swimming pool and don't want it to close. I feel that the Canberra Government seems to only
care about the tram, building more and more apartments and lining the pockets of Geocon. It is a very mean-spirited
decision indeed. The Canberra Government should be governing for the whole of Canberra and not just a small
section of the community.

-the impact is on the citizens of Woden who have lost most sporting and recreational facilities in the last few years to
high rise apartments and concrete. Green space is minimal and that is especially critical for the people who live is
these high rises. The Phillip Pool is an icon that has been used by many people and swim squads over the years. This
will be taken from the citizens of Woden. In my opinion the Government has been disingenuous about the whole
issue and once the ice-skating rink is moved, then a stroke of the pen will see that the site will be bulldozed and
matching apartment blocks will arise next to the ones already there.

-It will be a huge impact on the community and take away a crucial resource for local people. Would be an absolute
tragedy.

-For community health and wellbeing and environmental reasons it needs to be kept open!!

-Woden needs the pool for health & wellbeing of kids, teens & families. It’s in a location that is easily accessed by
thousands of people. A visit to a pool is a cheap & healthy option to spend a day or an afternoon in this ever-
increasing fast paced life. It’s too valuable to the community. We have enough tower blocks already.

-Please understand that Canberra needs outdoor swimming facilities. There have been many drownings this year and
people need to learn to swim in safe public pools - Phillip pool should be kept or relocated as a 50-metre pool not cut
back to an indoor smaller pool a

-The impact of closing the Phillip pool would be tremendous on the local community. Taking away a recreational
facility that facilitates exercise, socialising and better health for the community would be enormous. A public pool
should be run and supported by the ACT government. They do not make a profit and should not be expected to be
run by a private company to make money. It is a facility that should be provided by the ACT government, like they do
in all other parts of Canberra

-The closure of Phillip Pool would be emblematic of the ACT Government disregarding what is in the best interests of
people who live in Phillip/Woden. As time proceeds, we have seen a reduction in amenity in our area: crowded &
expensive housing; excessive traffic; degraded public transport options; inadequate sporting facilities; inequitable
distribution of access to recreational facilities; distinct deterioration in the natural environment, liveability,
affordability & amenity eg., private development on public golf courses under concessional leases. We've seen the
loss of access in Woden to diversity of shopping too as we have no garden centres or hardware in our area anymore
& some small businesses have closed. Overall, we're being cut off from North Canberra too which is harder to get to.
Closing the pool would simply prove that the ACT Government doesn't care about Woden residents.

-The government was remiss of its duties to the community to permit sale to a company whose ultimate purpose is
surely yet another eyesore of a high rise

-Taking away the pool would be the last straw for many in Woden. It’s a well-loved community facility that’s being
lost due to poor management and government inattention. Without the pool Woden is just a cluster of apartments
and concrete. Canberra should do better.

-Please consider a replacement public recreational facility in Woden to serve the centre's community. Please consider
the lifestyle and wellbeing of the residents moving into the apartment and high density living also.

-Families and 50m lap swimmers will have nowhere to swim and relax on the southside of Canberra. Other pools are
rarely open for 50m.

-The closure of the pool will represent a significant loss to the Canberra community. It has been a place where
generations have learnt to swim and enjoyed the outside in a small green oasis in the heart of Woden Valley

-Canberra needs to hold onto its heritage and have a place for wellbeing

-The area will lose a really useful asset which helps people in the community benefit from exercise and improves
their health and mental health. The ACT government has a strong focus on Braddon and Dickson and the south of the
city appears to be forgotten and sold off to developers such as Geocon

-It’s business rather than people, the interests of developers coupled with government hunger for revenue influence
politicians to make short term decisions.it is a scandal this ever happened. Because a high proportion of residents are
renters I don’t think they are taken seriously. This is a seriously retrograde decision and if not tech corrupt it is
morally corrupt from a planning perspective.

-Woden needs an outdoor grassy spacious facility for summer, for lap swimmers & families to cool down & enjoy
time together.

-Over urbanisation and poor planning is too prevalent. Removing community infrastructure is short sighted and
wrong. Multiple generations use the facilities- families enjoying the grass and water in a hot weekend afternoon,
early and late lap swimmers of all ages, fresh air, seeing trees and birds and being in the town centre is such a
positive thing. To remove this 50 m pool, leaving widen completely unserved is disgusting