Adelaide City Council discusses three potential locations for new Aquatic Centre
Celeste Villani, City Editor, The City
June 16, 2020 6:07pm
The Aquatic Centre could be rebuilt on the Riverbank, near Adelaide Oval or opposite Priceline Stadium, a new report into the venue’s future shows.
The Adelaide City Council report listed the sites – two around War Memorial Drive and the other a portion of Ellis Park near West Tce – as potentially available for the centre.
The report, which the council discussed at its meeting on Tuesday night, did not rule out rebuilding or redeveloping the centre at its current Jeffcott Tce home.
A contemporary replacement facility would boost visitations numbers up by 40 per cent, up from 715,000 to more than 1.3 million people per year, the report said.
- SITES FOR NEW AQUATIC CENTRE
POTENTIALLY AVAILABLE
1. The current Adelaide Aquatic Centre site in Park 2 (Papipadinyilla)
2. Park 24 (Tambawodli) is on the eastern side of the railway tracks, opposite ETSA Park (netball) and Santos Stadium (athletics)
3. Park 26 (Tarndanya Womma) includes Adelaide Oval and the adjacent tennis and health club facilities.
ADDITIONAL SITES OF INTEREST
4. Park 1 - North Adelaide Golf Course Par 3 / Riverbank
NOW UNAVAILABLE
5. North Terrace as part of the leisure and entertainment precinct
6. North Terrace as part of the New Royal Adelaide Hospital
7. North Terrace at the old Royal Adelaide Hospital site once it is vacated.
*Source: Adelaide City Council.
Adelaide City Council Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor told The City the locations were “starters” and there was still lots to discuss about the centre’s future.
She wanted the council to look into redeveloping the corner of Barton Tce West and Prospect Rd for the centre.
“We need to make sure any new facility caters for an increased demand from current users and caters for their wellbeing needs,” Ms Verschoor said.
“It also needs to cater for the demand profile we think we are going to have, particularly if we create a new facility.”
The report listed four new redevelopment options, which could cost between $16 million and $61 million, varying in size, capacity and amenities.
The report said the most expensive option would be 24,600sqm in area and have both indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a spa, sauna, large gym and creche.
The report said the development would attract at least one million visitations a year and the centre would operate at a $1 million surplus.
The cheapest scenario would be an upgrade of the current centre, costing up to $21 million.
However, its facilities and economic sustainability would still be “very poor”.
Ms Verschoor said she welcomed discussion about a centre with an indoor and outdoor pool offering.
“I love the idea of having an outdoor pool, particularly in a parklands setting,” Ms Verschoor said,
“I think that is something we should look to.”
At the meeting, most councillors appeared in support of a $61 million redevelopment of the Aquatic Centre and hoped State and Federal Governments, as well as neighbouring councils, would contribute to funding the centre.
Cr Robert Simms said he wanted to see “something of really high quality” built at the site that the community would support.
Incoming councillor Greg Mackie suggested the council look at the old Franklin St bus depot for the centre’s home because it would be “centrally located” and well serviced by public transport.
However, Cr Jessy Khera warned the council should “not rush into planning and designing the facility” in the wake of the economic impacts of COVID-19.
In April, the economic fallout from COVID-19 forced the Crows to shelve plans for a $65 million plan to knock down the centre and rebuild a new training and community complex at the site.
Adelaide Crows chairman Rob Chapman said the club could revisit plans in a couple of years.
The centre remains closed after shutting on March 19 because of the pandemic.
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