Pooling funds: Shire gets $3.5m more for Surf Coast aquatic centre

THE Labor state government will pour another $3.5 million into the Surf Coast Aquatic and Health Centre following an application from the Surf Coast Shire council.

Yesterday (Wednesday, April 14), South Barwon Labor MP Darren Cheeseman announced the shire would receive the extra cash from the state government’s Growing Suburbs Fund (GSF).

The $3.5m is not the full $4m the council wanted from the GSF but will go some way to filling the missing $9.5m needed to realise the council’s preferred option for the $39.25m project, to be built in Torquay North.

In February, councillors abandoned their earlier commitment to not make a capital contribution to the project, and instead resolved to put in an extra $5.25m and modify their endorsed design to “fully align with state and federal expectations” and to increase the attractiveness of their $4m application to the GSF.

The original $38.5m design, which will be integrated with the just-opened Wurdi Baierr Stadium, comprises a 50m indoor pool, warm water program pool, gym, group fitness rooms and allied health rooms.

The modified design now has more allied health consulting suites and office space for a complementary aquatic or sporting body such as Life Saving Victoria.

Peri-urban councils such as the Surf Coast Shire have been able to get access to GSF funds since last year, but the program operates on a notional dollar-for-dollar basis.

The GSF funding will be used to ensure the community facilities at the Surf Coast Aquatic and Health Centre are flexible, accessible, and able to be used for a wide variety of health programs and services, classes and community events.

Mr Cheeseman has committed $10m towards the aquatic centre and Victorian Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson (when she was the federal member for Corangamite) a further $20m, and the report to councillors in February noted “pressure is growing from both levels of government to find a way forward to deliver the project”.

“I’m delighted the Victorian Government has continued its support for our thriving community through this funding that will ensure the Aquatic and Health Centre is a top-quality facility,” Mr Cheeseman said.

“We know the Surf Coast is a great place to live, and the Growing Suburbs Fund is making it an even better one – this investment will be great for families, children and everyone in our community.”

The shire’s acting chief executive officer Anne Howard said the council submitted a strong application to the GSF.

“It was pleasing that mayor Libby Stapleton and local member Darren Cheeseman had the opportunity to discuss the project directly with the Minister for Local Government when he visited Torquay last week.”

The council previously argued it would not make a capital contribution towards the centre as the shire was providing the land for the facility and would fund its estimated annual operating cost of $433,000.

“Council had hoped that the capital shortfall would be secured externally, but this is increasingly unlikely,” the officers’ report to councillors stated.