The study found that there is an urgent need for more indoor sports courts in the Tweed.
Tweed Shire Council will consider the next step for a proposed Regional Indoor Sports and Aquatic Centre at its meeting on 20 August, with the focus on what the community needs most now and what residents and Council can reasonably afford.
A new feasibility study found the Tweed is growing and will need better indoor sports and aquatic facilities over time, with the population expected to reach about 128,000 by 2041.
But the study also makes clear that Council cannot do everything at once. Officers are recommending Council start with the most urgent need: more indoor courts for sports such as basketball and other court-based activities.
The study supports planning for a future 50-metre pool but recommends a staged approach so Council can keep progressing the project without putting unnecessary pressure on household budgets.
A fully integrated indoor sports and aquatic centre is estimated to cost about $160 million to build and would need ongoing operating subsidies of between $1.4 million and $2 million each year. The study did not assess whether Council could afford those capital or ongoing costs.
That is why, when formulating recommendations, Council officers had to look beyond the project itself and consider Council's broader financial position, other major projects, long-term sustainability and the impact any extra costs could have on residents through rates and charges.
Director Sustainable Communities and Environment Naomi Searle said the study confirms the Tweed needs better indoor sports and aquatic facilities, but Council also has to be careful about how projects are funded.
"We know the community wants and needs better sporting facilities, especially indoor courts given there are currently no public indoor court facilities in the Tweed, and this study gives us a clear way forward," Ms Searle said.
"At the same time, Council has a responsibility to balance this project against other important community priorities and to avoid increasing rates at a time where cost of living pressures are already hitting hard.
"A staged approach means we can keep moving forward, start with the indoor sports centre where the need is most immediate, and do the extra planning needed for aquatic facilities before asking the community to take on a much larger financial commitment," Ms Searle said.
Recent aquatic centre projects in NSW show why Council needs to be cautious. The North Sydney Olympic Pool redevelopment exceeded earlier estimates by about $60 million to $65 million, while the Tamworth Regional Aquatic Centre project increased from about $45 million to around $68.3 million. The study notes projects like these have contributed to significant rate increase proposals including an 87% rate increase in the case of North Sydney.
The report warns that aquatic facilities are inherently more complex and capital intensive than indoor sports centres and are more exposed to construction cost escalation, specialised mechanical systems and ongoing operational costs.
A $160 million project is highly unlikely to be fully funded by government grants. If Council were to pursue the full project at once, it would likely need to look at options such as developer contributions, higher rates and/or loan borrowings, or reduced service levels.
Council is also already planning a large capital works program, estimated at about $690 million over the next 4 years. In addition, critical infrastructure such as the Clarrie Hall Dam wall raising which is crucial in securing the Tweed's water supply, is currently estimated at $304 million with a significant proportion still unfunded. Borrowing for major projects like this can affect Council's ability to borrow for other projects.
The study considered an Olympic-sized pool but recommended against it, finding the estimated additional cost of about $32 million would outweigh the benefits. The report, however, did not specifically reference the petition of 2616 valid signatures which was submitted by Councillor James Owen to the same Council meeting scheduled for 20 August.
To keep the project moving while managing the potential impact on ratepayers, officers are recommending Council:
- Prioritise an indoor sports centre at Recreation Park, Tweed Heads.
- Proceed to a detailed business case and concept design for the indoor sports facility.
- Continue planning and feasibility investigations for future aquatic infrastructure.
- Look for funding opportunities, partnerships and alternative delivery models to reduce the cost to ratepayers.
The long-term vision remains an integrated indoor sports and aquatic centre at Recreation Park. However, officers say taking it in stages is the more responsible option while construction costs remain high and Council is balancing other essential infrastructure needs. It also leaves open the possibility of a developer-led facility to be developed at Kings Forest.
If endorsed, Council would first prepare a detailed business case and concept design for a regional indoor sports centre. Further aquatic planning would continue through an aquatic network analysis before Council considers spending an estimated $300,000 to $500,000 on detailed concept designs and a business case for aquatic facilities.
Councillors will consider the report and officer recommendation at the Council meeting on 20 August 2026.
An Olympic-sized swimming pool was considered as part of the study but the report recommended against it.
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Caption: The study found that there is an urgent need for more indoor sports courts in the Tweed.
Caption: An Olympic-sized swimming pool was considered as part of the study but the report recommended against it.
Connection to Council's Community Strategic Plan:
