DURING winter, the three Port Stephens Council owned aquatic centres close for maintenance on a rotational basis.

This staggering is organised so that dedicated swimmers and those who need  year-round daily training always have somewhere to swim.

Tilligerry Aquatic Centre will be first in the cycle and will close on 3 June until 31 July.

Tomaree will be out of action between 17 July and 13 August and Lakeside will have a short break from 3 July to 9 July.

Many patrons buy season tickets as the savings give them access for less than $1 per day.

During the shutdown, they are not disadvantaged as they have the option of using their pass at another pool or having it extended for the time their home pool is closed.

Long time patron Bryan English is one regular swimmer at the Tilligerry pool who will miss his regular outings during the two month closure.

The spry 94 year old has been a patron for some 18 years.

He has cut down his daily visits to just three per week.

He does, however, still clock up as many as 30 laps of the 25 metre pool.

“I live by myself and really enjoy the company of like-minded people at the pool,” he said.

“We have a yarn, a laugh or two and a few cups of coffee.”

“They even put on a birthday party for me when I turned 90 and have promised me another one when I get to 100.”

By Geoff WALKER