IT was a case of better late than never for Owen residents, when repairs to their local swimming pool were completed just before Christmas. While these repairs were short-term renewal works only, with Balaklava pool closed indefinitely and Hamley Bridge’s pool undergoing major repairs before reopening this summer, residents in the Wakefield Regional Council (WRC) area were desperate to have at least one public pool open now. With around $800,000 required for full renewal works to make the Owen pool compliant by next summer, the smaller spend now of around $45,000 was considered by WRC as the best option for pool users and ratepayers alike.