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Celebrating our community
We ❤️ OLC storytelling showcase | Monash Uni pool closure impact study | Banyule council OLC survey | Twilight market proposal
Olympic Village Action Network
October 19, 2025
Judi Smith and Alex Childs at Older Adults Fun Day, Sept 24th 2025
NEXT OVAN COMMUNITY MEETING:
Sunday 9th November, 3-5pm
Exodus Community Centre, 273 Liberty Pde
Heidelberg West.
All welcome! Find out more about our association and how to get involved.
SUPPORTING OVAN
Help us continue our work by making a donation to OVAN. Every contribution supports advocacy, events, printing and organising efforts. All donations are warmly welcomed as we are unfunded. Please note that donations are unfortunately not tax deductable.
Account name: Olympic Village Action Network
BSB: 313-140
Account Number: 12544414
FROM THE OVAN COMMITTEE
To OVAN members, Heidelberg West and surrounding residents, OLC members and users, and friends,
It has been some time since we’ve done a newsletter − sorry for the delay! We’ve got a raft of updates to provide below. From the We ❤️ OLC storytelling, to a new research initiative assessing the social impact of aquatics closure led by Dr. Liz Taylor (Dept. of Architecture, Monash University), to realising our local post office is at risk of imminent closure, it’s been a busy time.
The forthcoming decommissioning of aquatics at OLC on October 31st is a difficult moment for many in our community. We recognise the dedicated campaign that Save our Pool (SOP) have run over recent months. Moving forward, we hope that community advocacy efforts across groups and organisations can work in harmony, as we share the common goal of a healthier, more liveable, and more equitable community.
We hope to see many of you at our next meeting (9th November) - all are welcome.
Aiden, on behalf of the OVAN Committee
OPERATIONAL UPDATES
Modification of incorporated association rules
On 17th August 2025, a Special General Meeting of OVAN members was held to vote on Special Resolution 2025/01. This resolution proposed several modifications to the generic Model Rules for an Incorporated Association that better suit the needs and interests of our association. Broadly, these modifications include:
Modification of member eligibility criteria and membership categories, including creation of ‘Allies’
Establishment of term limits for committee roles
Formatting and spelling corrections
The resolution passed unanimously and the updated rules have been adopted. These are attached below for reference.
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OVAN/Banyule Council Meetings
OVAN Committee members and some general members have participated in several meetings with Banyule Council officers and Councillors over the past months (19th August 2025; 17th September 2025),. Our goal has been to promote greater transparency and community engagement in decision making surrounding the future of the OLC.
MONASH UNIVERSITY RESEARCH INITIATIVE
OVAN is proud to be partnering with Dr. Liz Taylor (Department of Architecture, Monash University) to help promote a new research initiative focused on the impact of OLC aquatic decommissioning. This aligns with our goals within OVAN’s Working Group 3: Assess the Impact.
We strongly support this research and encourage OVAN members and OLC members and casual users to participate.
The closure of Heidelberg West’s public swimming pool: A pre-post study of impacts on social infrastructure and the social determinants of health
The upcoming closure of the Olympic Leisure Centre swimming pool in Heidelberg West is an opportunity to study the use of community infrastructure, the social determinants of health, place attachments, and the outcomes for different groups. The study aims to understand how a current public swimming pool is used and valued, and whether and how different current users adapt after its closure.
Research questions:
How does the closure of social infrastructure (Heidelberg West’s Olympic Leisure Centre public swimming pool) impact on users’ routines, sense of community, connections, and sense of belonging?
After the closure, how do different users of the Heidelberg West pool adapt? Do they swim at different locations, stop swimming but take up alternative activities, or reduce their physical activity? Do they maintain social connections in other ways and locations?
How do these impacts and adaptations vary based on demographics, socio-economic characteristics, and proximity/transport access?
Who can participate?
The survey is open to any current or recent users of the Olympic Village Leisure Centre in Heidelberg West (including those who supervise or accompany others to the pool). This is defined as people who have visited the Olympic Leisure Centre in the 2 months prior to its scheduled closure at the end of October 2025. Respondents should be adults (18+).
How can I complete the survey?
The survey is now live and available at the link below. Each survey should take about 10-15 minutes to complete. You will be asked how often you have visited the OLC pool in recent months; what you typically do there; whether you have social networks there; how you travel to the pool; what your plans are for after the pool closes; your attachment to the area; and your view of your general health and wellbeing.
You will be sent a follow-up survey in 6 months to ask how things worked out and what has changed.
How can I help with the survey roll-out?
We realise that some OLC members and users may face barriers to completing this online survey due to technological confidence and access, language barriers, or literacy challenges.
We are very keen to ensure this research captures a broad experience of those who have visited the OLC in the past 2 months.
If you are interested to help promote this study, or assist individuals to complete the survey, please reach out to us at [email protected]. We would love your assistance!
BANYULE COUNCIL OLC SURVEY
A brief reminder that TOMORROW (Sunday 19th October) is the deadline for Banyule Council’s survey - if you have not yet completed it, please consider taking 5 minutes to share your feedback!
WE ❤️ OLC STORYTELLING
On Fri 22nd August, OVAN ran the inaugural We ❤️ OLC Storytelling Day, kindly hosted by Holstep Health. We were joined by four volunteer interviewers, a volunteer photographer (Terry Hogan), and 14 participants in-person, as well as several written submissions.
It was heartwarming to listen to the stories of connection to the OLC; there were laughs and tears as we explored what the OLC meant to participants. It was quickly evident that as we suspected that OLC is not merely a centre but a wholesome, welcoming community where participants felt a sense of belonging and pride to be a part of. We give a full heart of gratitude to Julie Gill who brought the group together like fibre in a rope.
We showcased the first round of We ❤️ OLC posters at Banyule Council’s recent OLC activation events on Wednesday 24th September (Older Adults Fun Day) and Friday 3rd October (Community Day). It was a great chance to get to celebrate the very special people that put the OLC at the heart of our community! We also had a great time seeing the community come together and play in the Olympic Village Green - we see such incredible potential for this space.
Here are a few sample posters from the day - stay tuned for more via our social media platforms!
TWILIGHT MARKET GRANT PROPOSAL I
As part of the 2025 round of Banyule Council Community Grants, Olympic Neighbourhood House in partnership with OVAN applied for a $10K grant to host a Twilight Market in the Olympic Village Green and surrounds. In developing this proposal, we were floored to appreciate how many talented creative individuals and groups call 3081 their home. We are currently awaiting the outcome and keeping our fingers crossed! 🤞
In coming weeks, we hope to provide updates regarding the Monash University survey rollout, discuss our advocacy goals moving forward, and celebrate our new members. If there are topics that you would like us to cover, or raise in our next meeting with Council, please feel free to contact us at [email protected]. We would love to bring your thoughts and energy to our discussions.
Until next time, stay well and keep speaking up for our community.
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Dr. Aiden Varan, MD, MPH, BSc(Hons)
Paediatric registrar &
President, Olympic Village Action Network
On behalf of the Olympic Village Action Network Incorporated Association Committee
[email protected]
https://ovan.org.au
https://ovan.beehiiv.com
We acknowledge the traditional owners of the lands upon which the Olympic Village is situated, the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples of the Kulin nations, and pay our respects to elders past, present, and emerging. Soverignty over these lands was never ceded; always was, and always will be, Aboriginal country. We aim to work in collaboration with our First Nations partners to create a better future for our community.