Council offered the Ararat Olympic Swimming Pool Committee funding of $450,000 but determined that the committee must become a committee of management and take on the entire responsibility of redeveloping, maintaining and operating the pool.

However, the Department of Environment and Primary Industries has knocked back the Pool Committee's application for committee of management status, with the Minister Ryan Smith handballing it back to council saying pools are 'the responsibility of local government'.

The committee is hoping Ararat Rural City Council will come back on board by instead offering it a Section 86 status to manage the pool on its behalf, or lease the pool area to the committee.

But given Council's previous reluctance to take on the responsibility of the pool, it will be interesting to see what its next move will be.

The committee did receive some high profile support this week in the form of Liberal candidate for Ripon Louise Staley, who plans to lobby Denis Napthine for funding.

But given the reluctance of State Government to offer funding for redevelopment of an old pool while there is already a working pool in the town (such as Ararat's indoor pool at the YMCA), this also seems wishful thinking.

If it wasn't for the absolute passion of the Pool Committee members this project would have died long ago. Let's hope that their passion won't wane despite the obstacles and that one day in the future Ararat will have an outdoor pool again - but it certainly won't be this summer.