LeisureFit Booragoon to undergo $7.1 million refurbishment

The City of Melville has announced that its LeisureFit aquatic centre is to undergo a $7.1 million upgrade to bring the ageing facility up to modern standards.

About $4.85 million will cover the demolition and full shell replacement of the existing leisure pool, with the remaining funds to be spent on refurbishing the 50-metre lane pool and the facility’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning system.

Approved by City of Melville Councillors last month, the funding package - $2,529,028 more than was initially allocated - anticipates a successful application for a $1,615,556 Western Australian Government grant to help cover the project cost.

A construction tender will be issued in May 2021, with the pools to close and construction expected to start next October. It should take about a year to complete.

As reported by the Melville Gazette, City of Melville City Buildings Manager Mario Murphy said all works would be carried out simultaneously, meaning the council-owned facility in Perth’s southern suburbs would be forced to close during that time.

Murphy advised “it will not be viable to stage works and keep the 50 metre pool services operational during the demolition and construction of the leisure pool.

“This approach provides the City with the most favourable opportunity to procure all works as one construction package, thereby leveraging economies of scale to reduce overall cost with the higher quality outcomes.”

The two pools have not been refurbished since the centre was built in 2000.

Advising that over the past 20 years the leisure pool had developed significant structural issues, including deterioration of the concrete shell in several areas, Murphy noted “the existing concrete strength does not meet the original design specification and there is a requirement to install a new ramp to meet the latest disability and access inclusion standards.”

He went on to add that inspections had revealed poor air quality in the pool halls with high levels of trichloramine, a chlorine-derived gas that “results in conditions known to affect the respiratory system”.

Murphy’s report indicates that the new leisure pool would feature “contemporary play areas”, a learn to swim area, three 20-metre walking/lap swimming lanes and a warm water therapy pool.

Other upgrades will include new wet and dry parent and children changerooms, the refurbishment of existing change rooms, repainting of all internal surfaces and re-tiling of pool decks.

Image: LeisureFit Booragoon's pool. Credit: City of Melville.