Regular swimmers at North Wollongong's popular Continental Pool are calling on Wollongong City Council to extend its opening hours during the cooler months.
Amabile Cunzolo, a teacher at Bellambi's Holy Spirit College, told the latest meeting of the Neighbourhood Forum 5 community group that the Continental Pool was the only Council-patrolled saltwater pool open to the public in winter.
At present the Continental Pool's opening hours extend from 6am to 7pm. Next weekend the pool will close an hour earlier at 6pm but from Anzac Day through to late September it will close at 2pm.
"Two o'clock is much too early for so many of us who can't get to the pool in the morning due to work and other commitments," Amabile said.
"I like to swim 50 laps every day because there are so many health benefits. Salt water is so good for the body, it relieves body aches and pain, and swimming is good for the mind."
Amabile has written to Council seeking a meeting with the Lord Mayor to put the case for extending the pool hours.
"With climate change the water temperature is steadily increasing during the winter months and the pool is sheltered in the afternoon. On a sunny winter's day it can be like paradise."
Another regular at the pool, Tony Konjarski, from Lake Heights, says swimming helps him manage his rheumatoid arthritis. By closing the Continental Pool at 2pm "it drives more swimmers into the ocean and into the harbour", he said.
"That creates safety issues.
"There are more people living in our LGA and over the years more people are swimming. Parents want to take their children for a swim after school and in winter time teachers can only swim on weekends."
Manuel Navarrete, from Fairy Meadow, started swimming regularly three years ago for the health benefits. The 80-year-old says the exercise has helped with his blood pressure and his preference has always been a late afternoon swim.
The group received the support of NF5 with its request that the Council consider an extension of the pool's opening hours to 6pm to support Wollongong's growing population and increased demand for swimming as an important health, recreation and social pursuit.