The private operator of Newcastle council's pools will extend the opening hours on Australia Day, after backlash from politicians, councillors and a local swim club at a decision to reduce operating hours.
BlueFit and Newcastle City Council have also denied allegations by pool users and politicians that pools were understaffed and, at times, went without lifeguards.
Although temperatures on Australia Day are expected to reach 40 degrees, Newcastle's suburban swimming pools - which have been leased for up to 21 years to BlueFit - were set to operate under reduced public holiday hours.
Beresfield Swim Club cancelled its traditional Australia Day long weekend barbecue due to the reduced hours.
Newcastle Labor councillors Elizabeth Adamczyk and Deahnna Richardson are furious the community group had to abandon its event, and demanded BlueFit "maintain council operating hours at all inland pools".
"Especially on public holidays with extremely hot weather predicted," Cr Adamczyk said.
"We are calling on BlueFit to reinstate full hours of operation on Australia Day to facilitate Beresfield Swimming Club's annual Australia Day barbecue."
Wallsend MP Sonia Hornery has been a vocal opponent of what she calls the "privatisation" of Newcastle City Council's pools, and said her office had fielded numerous complaints from the community in the past week about the declining services at Wallsend, Lambton and Beresfield pools.
"This is a direct consequence of the privatisation that I and many in the community have rallied against," Ms Hornery said.
When the Newcastle Herald approached BlueFit for a response, chief executive Todd McHardy said his company would extend the public holiday operating hours of the pools "in anticipation of the upcoming hot Australia Day".
Beresfield swim club life member Kaye Leyland said although she appreciated BlueFit responding to the community concerns, the news may be too late for the club's barbecue.
"We've already cancelled our order with the butcher," she said.
"It is wonderful that they listened to the community though, particularly on what is meant to be quite a hot day."
Ms Hornery said her office had been inundated with reports that pool staff were so busy at the kiosk and at the entry gates that there were no lifeguards watching the pool. The Herald spoke to a number of people who shared similar stories.
"There have also been people concerned they could not purchase a bottle of water from the kiosk as the canteen was shut due to staff shortages," Ms Hornery said.
"Newcastle council needs to address these issues for the community with their private provider, BlueFit, or preferably take back control of the operation of the pools as any decent council would."
However BlueFit and the council "denies any instances of under staffing or operation without lifeguard supervision".
"There is no truth to the claim that Beresfield or any other CN owned swimming pools have been operating without lifeguards," a council spokesperson said.
"We conduct head counts every 15 minutes, ensuring an adequate number of lifeguards are available to supervise swimmers safely," Mr McHardy said.
The councillors and Ms Hornery also lashed BlueFit for cancelling Beresfield's swimming lessons.
"Due to the privatisation of the pool, there is no longer any learn to swim lessons at Beresfield pool, directly impacting on the kids of one of the most disadvantaged suburbs in the Newcastle LGA," Ms Hornery said.
However, BlueFit said it was the previous operator of swimming lessons at the Beresfield pool who chose not to continue them, "despite our clear indication that they were welcome to continue to provide this service".
On Australia Day, the Beresfield, Swansea, West Wallsend, Toronto, and Speers Point pools will be open until 5pm, and the larger pools at Lambton, Wallsend, Mayfield and Charlestown until 6pm. Stockton will close at 4pm.
BlueFit was asked if the extended operating hours would apply to all public holidays or just Australia Day, but the company declined to answer directly.
"BlueFit records all feedback and requests concerning public holiday hours. Feedback is continually reviewed with any adjustments deemed necessary made," Mr McHardy said.
