Contract awarded for $60 million redevelopment of the Payneham Memorial Swimming Centre

The City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters Council has advanced its plans for the redevelopment of the Payneham Memorial Swimming Centre, awarding the construction contract to South Australian-based company, Badge Constructions SA.

The project - which is estimated to cost $60 million - is the biggest investment in the Council’s infrastructure history.

Advising that on-site work has already begun, Mayor, Robert Bria stated “the Council is delivering what we have long committed to the people of the City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters - a brand new, significantly improved Payneham Memorial Swimming Centre.

“The Council understands the historical, cultural and social significance of this facility and is proud that our community will have a magnificent state-of-the-art facility in its own backyard.

“The local community, swimming clubs, schools and regular users have been waiting patiently for the redevelopment of this much-loved facility and they will not be disappointed with the final product.

“The Payneham Memorial Swimming Centre will be the pinnacle of aquatic leisure centres, promoting health, well-being and recreational opportunities, as well as providing thousands of children with the life-saving skill of learning to swim.”

The Payneham Swimming Club was first opened in 1968 by the former Payneham Council and, despite several repairs and plant replacement over the years, the Council says it has reached the end of its useful life and is in need of significant investment.

Mayor Bria noted “for this facility to stay open it needed a significant investment and that is exactly what Council is committed to. In short, the days spending money on patch-up jobs at the pool are over.”

The redevelopment will include:

• A 10 lane, 50 metre outdoor pool;

• An 8 lane, 25 metre indoor pool;

• An 11 x 20 metre indoor learner’s pool;

• A 14 metre tall tower with two waterslides;

• A zero-depth waterplay area;

• Multiple male, female and unisex all-access changerooms with showers, toilets and lockers;

• multipurpose meeting rooms; and

• Shade shelters and picnic seating.

Each pool will have an all-access entry via a ramp or lift, and aquatic wheelchairs will be available for public use.

Badge Constructions has expertise in similar community-focused sport and recreation projects, including the Scotch College Wellbeing and Sports Centre in Torrens Park and the Wulanda Community Centre in Mount Gambier.

Mayor Bria added “the decision to award the contract is extremely exciting and I would like to thank the community for their patience while we have undertaken this significant body of work to ensure that the project is a success.”

The Centre’s funding includes a $5.6 million grant from the South Australia Government’s Local Government Infrastructure Partnership Program.

Image: Concept for the redeveloped Payneham Memorial Swimming Centre.