Beatty Park Leisure Centre celebrates 50th anniversary and outdoor pool reopening

The weekend opening of Beatty Park Leisure Centre's refurbished outdoor swimming pool coincided with the facility's 50th anniversary.

Built in 1962 for the VIIth 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games (now the Commonwealth Games), Beatty Park was Perth's first Olympic-sized pool. Last refurbished in the 1990s, the facility is undergoing a $17 million makeover that saw the reopened 50 metre outdoor pool expanded from 8ith to 10 lanes.

The refurbishment also includes a 12 metre x 12 metre learners' pool, retiling of the indoor pool along with the replacement of water features, and updgrading the former diving pool to a 2 metre deep pool for aquatic sport (set to open in December).

Other parts of the redevelopment include a new entry, café, retail shop, gym and Group Fitness rooms (set to open in February), toilet/change area and a refurbished learn-to-swim School.

The heritage-listed façade of the complex has not been affected by the new entry while a two-level administration building has been constructed on the eastern side of the complex.

In addition a geothermal heating system has been added with a geothermal bore installed to allow hot groundwater to be circulated through heat exchangers to heat all outdoor pools and the indoor pool hall while the water treatment plant and plant room have also been upgraded.

Beatty Park Leisure Centre's history has seen it visited by the Queen Mother in 1966; its hosting of concerts by The Jackson 5, the Bee Gees and the Eagles; while also being the training venue for generations of champion swimmers.

The weekend also saw the launch of a commemorative book celebrating the history of the Centre.

City of Vincent Mayor Alannah MacTiernan said it was a tremendous challenge for Perth to host the 1962 Games, stating "with our isolation and a community of less than 500,000 people, we had almost no sports facilities of an international standard and had never staged a major sporting event on this scale.

"But the city was on the cusp of its biggest growth spurt since the 1890s and was keen to become something more than a big country town.

"Perth responded by building the best facilities yet provided for the games, mounting the biggest publicity campaign in games history and attracting one of the largest audiences ever to witness the games."

The City of Vincent's plans for the refurbishment of the Centre state "by redeveloping the Centre, the City hopes to create a state-of-the-art, modern and competitive leisure centre that will act as a magnet for a diverse range of recreation activities and compliment the sustainability objectives of the City.

"The redevelopment will ensure the long-term viability of the Centre and meet the current and future needs of patrons by incorporating best practice and innovation."

For more information go to www.beattypark.com.au

Images show Beatty Park Leisure Centre in 1962 (top) and today (below).