Following the approval of its COVID-19 Safety Plan, Cessnock City Council will open both Cessnock and Branxton pools to fully-vaccinated residents this long weekend.

Residents can dive into the Cessnock facility on Saturday 2 October from 7am to 5pm and head to Branxton on Sunday 3 October between 7am and 5pm.

Both are available for lap and recreational swimming under a booking system, which is accessible from Friday afternoon.

Fully-vaccinated residents are encouraged to phone Cessnock (4990 3704) or Branxton (4938 1450) pools to book a lane, which will be allocated in one hour time slots. 

Cessnock City mayor Bob Pynsent was pleased to offer lap and recreational swimming to locals.

“After what has been a long and tough winter for many, this is a big win for our local community,” he said.

“I look forward to seeing residents enjoying the sunshine and a dip at our wonderful facilities.”

While the local pools are hugely popular, particularly with the weather warming up, council has had to put strict conditions in place to comply with the Public Health Order.

In their risk assessment, councillors considered the current low levels of vaccination in the Cessnock LGA.

And, therefore, they had to limit attendance to fully-vaccinated adults.

These include:

• Admission will need to be pre-booked and allocated in one hour sessions to allow for regular cleaning;
• Residents over the age of 16 will need to prove they are fully-vaccinated on arrival;
• Patrons will not be permitted to congregate in groups of more than five people;
• Communal seating will be restricted, the use of communal facilities will be staggered and visitors will be encouraged to shower and change at home; and
• Use of hand sanitiser on entry and exit of facility.

When the lockdown is lifted and the state starts to open back up, conditions may change.

Stay up-to-date with the status of the public pools on council’s website at www.cessnock.nsw.gov.au/pools, as well as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

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