Families make most of free entry into Oasis as mercury soars

Local families took advantage of free entry into the Oasis Regional Aquatic Centre to escape Thursday's extreme weather conditions.

Hundreds of visitors flocked to the Oasis Regional Aquatic Centre on Thursday to beat the unseasonably brutal spring heat, while making the most of free entry into the facility.

On Wednesday the Bureau of Meteorology predicted the mercury would peak at 41 degrees Celsius, just 1.8 degrees Celsius less than the hottest November day on record, set on 26 November 1997.

The forecast meant Wagga Wagga City Council announced the Oasis would open for free to casual visitors, in accordance with the resolution reach at the 29 January 2019 Council Meeting.

“Councillors resolved to waive admission fees for casual visitors to the Oasis Regional Aquatic Centre when the Bureau of Meteorology predicted temperatures to reach or exceed 41 degrees Celsius the following day,” Mayor of the City of Wagga Wagga, Councillor Greg Conkey OAM said.

“This decision was made to allow families and individuals to plan how they would escape the heat in extreme conditions.”

Cr Greg Conkey hopes removing the admission fee in cases of extreme weather will enable more community members to access the pool and reap the benefits of participating in aquatic activities.

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