Preferred location revealed for planned new aquatic centre in Port Macquarie

Port Macquarie-Hastings Council has announced its preferred location for a new aquatic centre, confirming in a recent meeting that a site in Macquarie Park/Gordon Street is its chosen option.

Having considered six possible new sites and well as upgrading its existing aquatic facility the Gordon Street site was locked in after community consultation and an internal Council site selection workshop.

The site is seen as being ideal for the new aquatic centre making it a showpiece for the community and a drawcard for tourists, with the Council will move ahead with the detailed design and approvals including development of a strategic concept design with a $450,000 allocation included the 2019/20 budget for finalisation of the facility's detailed design.

Port Macquarie Aquatic Centre Committee spokesperson Greg Freeman said it was a great outcome to have certainty on the site but it was only a small step in the big picture.

Freeman told local newspaper Port News “we would like to see this now get some momentum to go along as quickly as possible because it has got to this point previously and gone nowhere.”

A report will come back to the Council in June 2020 on the result of discussions with the displaced user groups of Macquarie Park - Port Macquarie Football Club and Port Macquarie Army Cadets - to identify suitable alternative facilities.

The consultation yielded 880 survey responses and 57 written submissions.