City of South Perth to undertake three stage process for new aquatic facility development
City of South Perth Councillors agreed at a special council meeting on Tuesday to direct their Chief Executive Mike Bradford to deliver the facility through three “independent and financially viable” stages, with the beginning of each stage subject to further council approval.
Stage one will include the construction of an indoor aquatic centre with an eight-lane 25 metre heated pool along with a health club and gym, a virtual golf driving range with a hospitality venue as well as a cafe and function facilities.
The council estimates that this first stage of construction will cost between $45 and $60 million with a $20 million Federal Government grant adding to its own contribution.
Stage two will include the redevelopment of Collier Park Golf Course including turning the Lakes 9 course into a short-form golf format.
The City hopes this stage will be covered by Western Australian Government funding.
The final stage of the project, to be decided by the council at a later date, includes a 50 metre outdoor pool.
As reported by the PerthNow website, a council document advised that not including the outdoor pool in the initial development stages would reduce the facility’s projected operational costs, noting “the 50m outdoor pool is not a key revenue driver for the RAF and attracts ongoing, fixed operational costs.”
City of South Perth Mayor Greg Milner said he was aware there was concern in the community about whether stage three would happen, noting “I would like it to happen but there are a lot of unknowns between tonight and whenever the final council vote on stage three might be.
“But successfully delivering stages one and two will maximise the city’s opportunities to leverage further external funding opportunities to deliver stage three.”
The City also confirmed in a report this week the council was “not able” to reconsider a 28th June decision to not appoint a project manager for the project.
Images: Concept designs for the City of South Perth Recreation and Aquatic Facility. Credit: City of South Perth.
Related Articles
Published since 1997 - Australasian Leisure Management Magazine is your go-to resource for sports, recreation, and tourism. Enjoy exclusive insights, expert analysis, and the latest trends.
Mailed to you six times a year, for an annual subscription from just $99.
Get business and operations news for $12 a month - plus headlines emailed twice a week. Covering aquatics, attractions, entertainment, events, fitness, parks, recreation, sport, tourism, and venues.