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More than 50 years ago the people of Nowra and Bomaderry swam in a 'pool' - actually in the river. The first one was built by a local man. Then the Council replaced it. Swimming here was dangerous but mostly dirty. There was debris carried in by tidal currents, and basically it became just a mudhole. People had to hose clean after they had been in the 'pool'. The spirit of do-it-ourselves was very much alive in those days and the people rallied to build a quality pool. Literally build. Huge amounts of personal time and work and effort was put in by the community commencing physical works on site. We did it ourselves - or rather those men and women, many of whom are with us today and their sons and daughters, nephews and nieces. So much, however, could be done with after-hours, and week-end, and holiday work. Money was needed. A lot of money. This was to be no micky mouse pool. They raised it. And they raised it by one of the greatest outpourings of community spirit. Many, many people actually donated a proportion of their wages each week. And it was not only them, the sailors at Albatross donated too. Stories of the sacrifices made will appear in due course on another page. But the sum total of the story is this:- the plan, the work and the money was raised mostly by the people of Nowra and Bomaderry. So it is no ordinary pool, built from rates, built by the Government. It was built by us. And there is a story about the land. The land on which the pool stands was privately owned. It extends from the pool right back to Hyam Street and was acquired by the then Council AS A PUBLIC PARK. When we say 'acquired' we mean purchased under compulsion . He did not wish to sell but had to in the end. He was able to cut out a few blocks for himself to live in and for his children. One daughter, now aged 90, still lives on the site. The land is still basically as it was a hundred years ago. There still flows a remnant of the creek that was there probably a thousand years ago. The full story with details will appear later. So, no ordinary block of land, no ordinary pool. Council now wants to sell the pool site and the land it stands on to a developer .
IT IS NOT THEIRS TO SELL. |
