The South Australian Government’s plans for a state-of-the-art Adelaide Aquatic Centre are making significant strides, as the Adelaide City Council grants key approvals to pave the way for the construction of the $135 million facility.
During its recent meeting, the Council gave the green light to a new Community Land Management Plan and officially acknowledged the ongoing consultation regarding a draft lease and license for the upcoming Aquatic Centre.
“We’re getting on with the job and delivering what we committed to the people of South Australia – a brand new, significantly improved Adelaide Aquatic Centre,” Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Tom Koutsantonis says.
It’s worth noting that the Council had previously sought funding from the Liberal State and Federal governments to rebuild the Aquatic Centre on Park 2 within the Adelaide Park Lands.
However, during the meeting, Councillor Henry Davis, a former Liberal Party member, attempted to rescind approval for the Community Land Management Plan.
“It is beyond disappointing that David Speirs, the Liberals and their friends are still seeking to block a new Aquatic Centre at every turn,” Koutsantonis says.
Despite this, other councillors praised the State Government’s extensive community consultation efforts, which involved gathering input from over 1200 users, sporting groups, and local residents.
As a result of this extensive consultation, the $135 million Aquatic Centre is set to feature a multitude of exciting amenities, including:
- A 50-meter, 10-lane indoor pool suitable for carnivals, sports, and recreational use.
- A 25-meter, six-lane outdoor pool complete with a lagoon.
- A dedicated warm-water indoor pool with a rehabilitation program.
- A designated indoor pool for learn-to-swim programs.
- Diving facilities.
- Extensive indoor and outdoor play areas for all ages, featuring waterslides, splash zones, BBQs, and lawns.
- A café catering to both Aquatic Centre visitors and other Park 2 users.
- Gym and fitness facilities three times larger than originally planned.
- Spa, sauna, and steam room.
- Community change rooms.
- Improved car parking with access from Jeffcott Road, enhanced public transport, pedestrian pathways, and cycle routes connecting the centre to existing networks.
The existing Adelaide Aquatic Centre currently incurs an annual cost of over $1 million for Adelaide City Council ratepayers.
However, the upcoming Aquatic Centre’s innovative design will return over a thousand square meters to open space and allow the new facility to be set back further from Barton Terrace West, thus enhancing its connectivity with the Park Lands and improving the amenity for residents.
“The plan we have developed in consultation with pool users and the broader community will also deliver significant benefits for ratepayers in the City of Adelaide – who will no longer have to spend more than a million dollars each year propping up a facility which is past its use-by-date,” Koutsantonis says.
To accommodate this exciting development and minimise the impact of construction on the Park Lands, the Government and the City of Adelaide have agreed to close the existing Aquatic Centre during the major construction phase, from August 2024 until the project’s expected completion in the Summer of 2025-26.
While the existing centre is temporarily unavailable, most current users, including learn-to-swim programs, will be accommodated in other facilities, and the centre’s permanent staff will be redeployed to other roles.
Extra Sports Vouchers will also be provided to all Learn to Swim program participants at the existing Aquatic Centre to help ease the financial burden on families during the construction period.
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