Adelaide City Council favours Aquatic Centre rebuilding rather than new site

Adelaide City Councillors have been reported as favouring a rebuild of the ageing Adelaide Aquatic Centre in North Adelaide rather than developing an all-new facility at a different location.

As reported by InDaily, Councillors have considering building a new multi-storey swimming complex and housing development at the old bus station on Franklin Street, but staff have warned that the site is too small and does not include enough space for car parking.

According to the Council, the current centre, which runs at an annual operating deficit of $2.5 million despite attracting over 700,000 yearly visits, is reaching the end of its lifecycle and requires “significant investment” over the next 10 years to make it more commercially viable.

Both the South Australian and Federal Governments have been asked to contribute to the estimated $45-55 million cost to rebuild the centre, but no final decisions have been made as to where it would be located, what services it would offer or how big it would be.

With Councillors having been presented with three potential locations, the majority of those who responded to the consultation indicated that they wanted to keep the Aquatic Centre in North Adelaide.

The Adelaide Football Club last year proposed demolishing the current facility and building a new $65 million training and community complex, but the AFL club later withdrew the bid after suffering an economic hit from COVID-19.

Speaking prior to the consultation, the Council’s Property And Commercial Associate Director Tom McCready advised “there is general consensus amongst council members that the existing facility is at the end of its useful life and the best option moving forward is to construct a new facility while continuing to operate the existing facility.”

McCreedy said the existing aquatic centre was a “very large and inefficient facility”, with a “very small” gymnasium.

He suggested that the minimum requirements for a new facility would include a 25 metre pool, large warm water pool, learn to swim facilities, leisure pools, spa, sauna and steam room, gym, creche and cafe.

Image: The Adelaide Crows' concept for the redevelopment of the Adelaide Aquatic Centre.