Growing up Tom Jones spent a lot of his spare time at the Cobar pool and now he’s getting paid to be there every day.
Tom, who’s worked for pool contractor, L&R Group for a number of years, has recently returned to Cobar to take on the role of pool manager at the Cobar Memorial Swimming Pool for the 2024/2025 season.
After working as a coordinator for a season at the Cobar pool a couple of years ago, Tom said the opportunity to move to Dubbo came up and he decided to take it.
“I’ve been doing a bit of mining work here and there and was also working causal at the pool in Narromine over the summers.
“This opportunity came up and I thought it’d be good to come back home,” Tom said.
“I enjoyed being here and I’m enjoying being back here again.”
Tom said moving back to Cobar will allow him to get back into competing in triathlons, swimming with the Cobar Yabbies Senior Men’s Swimming Club and be involved with squad coaching.
“I’m just finalising my qualifications and I’ll be back into coaching,” he said.
While there’s still a week to go before the pool opens, for Tom the job of pool manager started a few weeks ago.
He said he’s been doing a lot of cleaning after the pool has been closed over the winter.
“There’s a lot of preparation needed, particularly with the new chlorine/gas room that’s been installed.
“That’s been done over the past four months and was finalised this week, so it’s all set up now and ready to go,” Tom said.
In conjunction with council staff, he’s also been working on the lawns and gardens, restocking the canteen, seeing to various maintenance items and helping to recruit and train staff.
“We’ve got our courses next week for our staff doing first aid and lifeguard training.
“I think about 80 per cent of our staff are returning from last season, and a couple of new faces, pretty much everyone was here last year, so that’s really good.”
Tom said they are planning learn to swim sessions to run at the end of November and he’d also like to be able to run a ‘Bush Nippers’ course.
“Bush Nippers is a program to help kids up to 15 learn lifesaving skills and safety around the water and gives them a bit of extra knowledge if they get into trouble themselves.”
Tom said he’s really pleased to be back in Cobar.
“I love the community, just getting in and seeing all the regulars everyday and everyone coming down and enjoying the pool.
“I love being outside in the sun, it doesn’t take long to get a tan in this job!”
He said hopes the weather will warm up this week prior to opening and that we have a long, hot summer ahead.
