Orange Aquatic Centre to host NSW Country Regional Swimming Championships

Orange Aquatic Centre is to host the NSW Country Regional Swimming Championships on the weekend of the 23rd and 24th of January with the event expected to attract about 450 swimmers from across the state.

Orange Mayor Reg Kidd said it was a boon to the local economy to host the Championships adding “the championship brings 450 swimmers, their parents as well as a range of officials which equates to about 900 people coming to Orange.

“That’s 900 people paying for accommodation, shopping at our local businesses, eating out and bringing our retailers a much-needed post-Christmas boost.”

The event is being run to comply with all government requirements to ensure it is a COVIDSafe event.

To compensate for the closure of the pool to the public on the weekend of the Championship event, entry to Orange Aquatic Centre will be free to all on Australia Day after the celebrations in Cook Park wrap up.

The Orange Aquatic Centre will be open from 12pm to 5pm on Australia Day and weather permitting, all inflatables including the 22.5 metre obstacle course will be up and running.

The offer of a free day at the pool was a decision by Orange City Council made in December.

Orange City Council’s Sport and Recreation Committee Chair Jason Hamling said the pool would be open to the public for early morning lap swimming on the Saturday from 5.30am to 7.45am.

Hamling advised “we’re lucky in our part of the world we have beautiful Lake Canobolas with its beach which is also available for swimming and will certainly be available the weekend of the 23rd and the 24th of January.

“Orange Aquatic Centre hours will be back to normal after that weekend and we’ve seen a great response from kids on school holidays to the large inflatables we’ve had set up at the centre nearly every day.

“We will have a five metre slide inflatable in the diving pool, weather permitting, the 22.5 metre obstacle closure as well as a range of smaller inflatables in the indoor 25 metre pool.

“It’ll be a great family fun day and I hope many people can make it out to the park to congratulate our Citizens of the Year and our newest Australian citizens and then swing by the pool for a cool-off.”

Image: Orange Aquatic Centre courtesy orange.nsw.gov.au/