Shire reassessing pool viability following Armstrong Creek pledge

THE Surf Coast Shire is seeking more information about how a recently promised Armstrong Creek pool will affect the viability of its planned aquatic centre.

The shire is still committed to delivering its $46.5 million Surf Coast Aquatic and Health Centre in the wake of the state government’s announcement that it would build an aquatics centre at Armstrong Creek for swimming and diving events at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, which would then become a community pool.

Previous modelling for the Torquay pool does not account for a similar facility at Armstrong Creek to serve the growth region’s population.

The shire indicated it was “working with funding partners and other state government representatives to confirm the scope of the Torquay project and how the two aquatic centres might be able to complement each other”.

“We welcome the recent Commonwealth Games announcements as tremendously exciting for our region,” mayor Libby Stapleton said.

“With this major aquatic facility now confirmed for Armstrong Creek we are seeking a better understanding of how it might influence our project.

“We have already started some work modelling impacts on patronage and revenue, and once we learn more we can consider how the two centres in close proximity can best serve community needs.”

The shire’s present plans are for a centre with two indoor warm water pools, a 25-metre outdoor pool, allied health suites and a gym – for which it is seeking a further $4 million on top of $42 million already committed from its own funds as well as the state and federal governments.

The shire also doubled down on its plan for the centre to include allied health and gym facilities, which it said were critical to ensuring the financial sustainability of the project.

“There has been some community comment about their inclusion. These will be really important to helping generate income to deliver a better operating result for ratepayers, while delivering health and wellbeing benefits,” Cr Stapleton said.

“Some of our funding agreements also require us to include these components.”