Early works on a new Adelaide Aquatic Centre will begin within days, after the key Malinauskas Labor Government election commitment received the greenlight from the state's planning authority.
The State Commission Assessment Panel (SCAP) has this week approved the design of the sustainably designed centre in North Adelaide's Park 2.
The State Government lodged a planning application for the innovative centre, which will be powered using 100 per cent renewable energy, with SCAP in August this year.
Planning approval coincides with the appointment of iconic South Australian company Sarah Constructions Pty Ltd to build the $135 million facility following a rigorous tender process.
The experienced firm has delivered a multitude of community recreation facilities, including The Arc Leisure Centre at Campbelltown and The Lights Community and Sport Centre at Lightsview.
New concept images for the new Adelaide Aquatic Centre have also been released showing the indoor 50m pool, learn to swim pool, and the splash zones, as well as the external 25m pool and outdoor play area.
Interior floor plans have also been unveiled showing users where the centre's key facilities will be located.
The new centre will feature extensive indoor and outdoor pool areas, water slides, splash zones and lawned recreation spaces. In addition, it will contain gym and fitness facilities, spa/sauna/steam room and improved community change rooms.
More than 1000 square metres of land will be returned to Park Lands once the centre is built.
Agreement has also been reached with the City of Adelaide for a licence to permit construction works, and a funding agreement for the return to Park Lands of the existing aquatic centre once it is demolished.
The City of Adelaide has allocated up to $20 million for this work, which includes the establishment of a community oval, and connections through the broader Park 2.
To deliver this world-class facility and minimise the impact of construction on the Park Lands, the Government and the City of Adelaide have agreed that the existing Aquatic Centre will close during the construction phase from August 2024 until the project's completion in the summer of 2025-26.
The Government has today announced interim arrangements when the current centre is closed.
More than 100 sporting and community groups that use the existing pool have been engaged to better understand their specific needs, with all services able to be accommodated at one of 30 different venues across Adelaide.
Learn to Swim places will be made available at alternative venues from July 2024 across the Adelaide pool network during the closure period.
To help families transition to another centre, the Government is undertaking an Expression of Interest process where they can nominate their preferred alternative venue. The EOI will occur early in 2024, with placements expected to be offered in April 2024.
An additional $150 Sports Vouchers will be made available to all Learn to Swim program participants at the existing Aquatic Centre to ease the cost on families during the construction period.
For details about the alternative venues for user groups and for the Learn to Swim program, and to view the full EOI process, visit dit.sa.gov.au/aac
The Government has committed to make some minor enhancements to some local pools across Adelaide to improve the alternative options available during the closure period.
These upgrades include an extension to the outdoor pool season and minor works at Unley Swimming Centre (Forestville) and the George Bolton Swim Centre (Burnside). Upgrades will also be made at The Parks Recreation & Sports Centre (Angle Park) to improve accessibility.
The upgrades will provide an ongoing benefit for the local community.
As put by Peter Malinauskas
We're thrilled to see work starting to take shape on this transformative piece of community infrastructure which will deliver a benefit to all South Australians.
From the start, we committed to listening to existing pool users about what they wanted.
We're confident this stunningly designed centre will deliver a much better outcome for people, and for the Park Lands.
Delivering for the long term will mean some disruption. We've sought to minimise that, through an innovative solution that itself will deliver longer term benefits for other suburban swimming centres.
As put by Tom Koutsantonis
Construction of the new centre can begin now we have planning permission and initial site preparation will start soon.
It's an exciting time as we begin to transform the site from a tired, old facility into an innovative and brand-new Aquatic Centre on a smaller Park Lands footprint.
We will continue to work with pool users and operators to make the transition as seamless as possible.
We're looking forward to welcoming everyone to the new Adelaide Aquatic Centre in the summer of 2025-26.
As put by the Member for Adelaide Lucy Hood
This new Adelaide Aquatic Centre is going to be a gamechanger for my community.
We'll have more Park Lands, more pools, more places for family and friends to gather and for children to play.
This will also spare Adelaide City Council ratepayers a cost burden of a million dollars a year to prop up a tired facility.
As a parent of children who learn to swim at the centre, I thank the Government for working to find interim solutions to accommodate everyone while construction takes place, and I look forward to the new Adelaide Aquatic Centre being up and running.
