Diving into new Aquatic Centre

The draft plan, which emerges from community consultation, contains many interesting features including a new outdoor 50-metre pool, a new eight-10 lane 25m indoor lap pool (in addition to the current 25m indoor pool), smaller additional leisure pools, a café that will also be open to Victoria Park users, smaller water play areas, gym facilities, a creche for gym users, new change rooms, community meeting rooms and a restaurant.

The new area will contain a removable fence to open the pool facilities up to the rest of Victoria Park during major events.

The plan also includes a new warm-water pool with a moving floor.

This pool can allow water into it, changing from a depth of zero to 2m, depending on requirements. 

It will be driven by hydraulics, containing a few “big hooks” to pull the pool up or down in about 10 minutes to change the depth.

The facility could be used by young children requiring shallow water or by the aged for hydrotherapy when full.

There is also provision for an outdoor exercise station, beach volleyball area and a health and wellness spa.

According to the design, a new entrance foyer area will also be open to the side, giving skatepark users access to the centre for drinks and amenity use. 

It would also provide them some sheltered areas, which they have not had before.

The new foyer will have trophy, information and other display facilities as well as a kiosk, an informal gathering space, toilets and reception area. 

People can access this area for free, before paying to move into the other facilities.

Consultant from HM Leisure Planning, Chris Head addressed a large group that turned up to the Goulburn Mulwaree Council chambers last Thursday night to hear about the new Aquatic Centre plans.

He told the gathering the concept had emerged from extensive consultation with the community, including school groups, the Goulburn Swimming Club, hospital, aged-care groups and a series of public meetings to ascertain users’ needs.

“This is a concept plan only until we get a final answer from the council about the costs and the viability of certain aspects,” Mr Head said.

“It has been a giant jigsaw puzzle, but we have put a few pieces together. 

We have looked at demographics, trends, future growth projections for the area.”

He said the new Aquatic Centre could cater for up to 160,000 users annually, or 500 people a day, based on Australian Industry Standards.

“This figure is based on a feeder population of 53,000 people,” Mr Head said.

He told the crowd the new plan increased parking outside the centre from the current 65 to a possible 160 new spaces.

“There may also be the option of more parking space if we can get more angle parking around the centre.”

The group had plenty of questions for Mr Head about the concept plan, including the depth of various pools.

“There was comment that users may want deeper water for water polo or underwater hockey,” Mr Head said after the session.

“No final depth has been stipulated on the pools except that they will range from 1.1m to 1.8m.”

Some people also questioned whether there would be enough space to fit the new indoor pool and leisure pool in the current area, but the group was assured that the concept plan was drawn to scale.

Attendants also pointed out there were many ‘black spots’ in the current facility, where lifeguards could not see all of the activity in the various pools. 

They argued a better vantage point for all pools might be needed.

Mayor Geoff Kettle said he was “excited” by the plan.

“Although this is only an initial draft I am ecstatic with the ideas, and excited for the future of the Aquatic Centre.

“This plan sets out a great vision for the future, which will cater for the Goulburn Mulwaree community and its growing population for decades to come,” he said.

The plan provides a starting point for the redevelopment, which is being undertaken in conjunction with the Victoria Park master-plan.