Mackay moves forward with Aquatic Centre and better parks planning

With on site preparation for the facility already underway, Mackay Regional Council has released its concept plan for its new aquatic centre and athletics track at the Mackay Sports Precinct.

The aquatic centre at CQUniversity's Ooralea campus is being completed to event standards set by world swimming governing body FINA, with backers of the project confident that it will stage state and even national events when completed.

When complete, the Mackay Aquatic Centre will offer a 50 metre Olympic pool, a 25 metre warm-up pool, and a 15 metre learn-to-swim pool, and all will be heated.

Mackay Regional Council is also creating a new policy to ensure a consistent approach to the provision of open space and parks as part of developments across its region.

Three separate policies have been in place for the former Mackay City and Mirani and Sarina shire council areas since amalgamation in 2008.

Council last year adopted a new unified Mackay Region Planning Scheme, replacing three previous schemes.

Public consultation has opened on a new Open Space Policy to be used during the assessment of development applications under the unified planning scheme.

Mayor Greg Williamson said council wanted to ensure recreational needs of the community were met when approving land development across the region.

Mayor Williamson explained “we need to ensure that sufficient land is provided for open space.

“We also need to provide certainty to developers regarding design standards for a range of recreation park types.

“This policy will help establish an accessible network of well-designed parks into the future.”

Mayor Williamson said the proposed policy would give more consideration to the proximity of residents to recreation parks, adding “new development must consider safe walking distances to centrally located parks.

“This will be quite a change for some parts of the council footprint.

“For example, the former Sarina council policy simply required the provision of 10% of land being developed for open space, without consideration to how any proposed parks would fit into a broader park network.”

The public consultation period will be open for submissions until 16th March 2018.

The proposed policy is available for viewing at council’s Client Services Centres, or at connectingmackay.qld.gov.au 

Images: The concept for the Mackay Aquatic Centre (top) and an impression of the pool in use (below). 

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