Wangaratta Chronicle, Wangaratta VIC (General News) by Steve Kelly Council CEO says they will look at other funding options, if needed WANGARATTA council will go back to the drawing board on its planned 50 metre pool if it gets the likely news today that its bid for $4.4 million in federal money was unsuccessful. Council chief executive officer Brendan McGrath informed the Wangaratta Chronicle yesterday that he hadnt heard any news about whether the rural city was successful or not, with the Federal Government funding pivotal to its aquatic strategy. Mr McGrath said we havent had any advice or confirmation of the funding but if it wasnt successful the project was certainly not dead in the water. We will have a conversation with council to explore other ways to achieve the funding needed, Mr McGrath said. The total cost of the 50-metre outdoor pool earmarked for land at the HP Barr Reserve is $8.9 million. Additional to this cost, a hydrotherapy pool will be installed at the site, however, funding for this component has already been secured from the Victorian Labor Government. A $1.5 million Community Sports Infrastructure Grant was announced for the hydrotherapy pool by Jaclyn Symes (MLC, Northern Victoria) in March 2016. Mr McGrath said the hydrotherapy pool project will definitely go ahead and council had been holding off on it so all works could proceed simultaneously.