Shire adds aquatic centre as advocacy priority

THE Surf Coast Shire is taking the plunge again to find millions more in state and federal funds for the Surf Coast Aquatic and Health Centre, putting the project back into its list of advocacy priorities.

Councillors considered the latest revisions to the list, which outlines the projects the shire considers most important and most in need of external support, at their meeting on Tuesday this week.

Over the years, the shire has lobbied both higher levels of government for support towards the centre, given the considerable price tag of such a project, with the council previously earmarking the centre as an advocacy priority – most recently in September 2020 – and applying (largely without success) for state and/or federal grants towards it.

So far, the centre has secured $20 million from the federal government and $13.5 million from the state government, both via election pledges.

Late last month, the shire’s assessment of the proposed $39.25 million centre with a 50-metre indoor pool found the design was “unfeasible in its current form” given the rapid rise in construction costs – which the shire estimated were going up by $300,000 a month – and this design would now cost more than $50 million.

As a result, councillors resolved at their meeting in late June to downsize the centre, to be built in Torquay North, to instead have a 25-metre seasonal outdoor pool and two indoor warm water pools at a cost of nearly $44 million.

The officers’ report presented to councillors on Tuesday this week noted the revised Surf Coast Aquatic and Health Centre had been added to its advocacy priorities “in recognition that significant increases in construction costs mean more money is needed if the project is to be delivered”.

The centre is classified as a Strategic Advocacy Priority – the highest of three tiers – and is at the top of the “A Healthy, Connected Community” category, making it the second overall project on the entire advocacy list behind only “First Nations Reconciliation”, which is effectively blank as the actions needed are yet to be identified.

The entry stated an aquatic centre would deliver many health and wellbeing benefits.

“A local learn to swim option will be needed once a privately-run Torquay swim school closes at the end of 2022. With a growing, active and ageing community the need for health, leisure and fitness facilities will increase.”

According to the entry, the shire needs $7.55 million “to deliver the rescoped design and incorporate fully electric heating to avoid the use of gas, in keeping with Council’s emissions goals”.

“Alternatively, we seek for the centre to serve as a Commonwealth Games training venue and for the state government to provide funding to incorporate the 50-metre pool such a use would require.”

Funding for a new Surf Coast Cultural Centre remains the biggest ask of the advocacy priorities in sheer dollar terms, with the shire seeking a combined $32 million from the state and federal governments for stage one of the project.