Tender awarded to design Surf Coast aquatic centre

DETAILED design of the Surf Coast Aquatic and Health Centre is ready to start, following the Surf Coast Shire council’s awarding of the design tender.
Melbourne-based architecture company Peddle Thorp will prepare plans for the $39.25 million centre, incorporating an indoor heated 50-metre pool and amenities.

At its meeting yesterday (Tuesday, November 23), the council unanimously awarded the contract to Peddle Thorp, resolving that the tender best met project requirements and provided best value for money.

“We are pleased to be taking another significant step towards delivery of this much-anticipated project and excited about what it will bring for people of all ages and abilities,” shire mayor Libby Stapleton said.

The design process is expected to take up to a year, with construction forecast to start in April or May 2023, and completion estimated for mid-2025.

The council and its funding partners have endorsed centre elements including:

• Indoor heated 50-metre pool
• Multi-purpose warm water pool
• Gym and multi-purpose program rooms
• Allied health and office suites, and
• Meeting rooms for community organisations.

Funding for the centre comprises $20 million from the federal Liberal Government’s Female Facilities and Water Safety Stream Program, $13.5 million from the state Labor Government ($10 million from the Local Sports Grants initiative and a $3.5 million grant from the Growing Suburbs Fund), and $5.75 million from the council.

Victorian Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson welcomed awarding of the design tender, describing the project as a dream come true for the Surf Coast community.

“The Morrison Liberal Government is proud to be investing $20 million in the Surf Coast Aquatic and Health Centre, which will be a wonderful asset for community health and wellbeing.

“The awarding of the detailed design tender is another very significant milestone in this state-of-the-art project.”

Victorian Minister for Community Sport Ros Spence and Minister for Local Government and Suburban Development Shaun Leane acknowledged the major step for the project.

Ms Spence said the Andrews Labor Government was proud to back a project that would deliver high-quality facilities for the Surf Coast Shire community.

It’s exciting to see this project progress. When it’s complete, more local families will have the chance to have a splash, learn to swim, improve their fitness and get active and healthy,” she said.

“The Labor Government’s Growing Suburbs Fund provides crucial community infrastructure and it’s having a big impact on local communities,” Mr Leane said.

“We’re ensuring that fast-growing communities like the Surf Coast Shire have state-of-the-art facilities like the new Surf Coast Aquatic and Health Centre.”

Cr Stapleton thanked the federal and state governments and said the council would undertake a detailed design phase, taking care and time to accommodate the size and complexity of the project.

“Thanks to the three levels of government working together we have reached this exciting point in the project. We know our community is eager to see the centre delivered and this design stage is critically important. We are committed to getting it right, and not rushing through the process.”

Community members will have opportunity to comment on the design as it takes shape in 2022.

“We will be letting our community know when we reach that stage in the coming year,” Cr Stapleton said.

A Community Reference Group comprising people from a range of user groups will provide input during design stages. Applications for the group are now being assessed.

Tenders for an external project manager closed on November 10 and are being evaluated in anticipation of an appointment in December. The appointed project manager will join the project as soon as possible.

The new centre will be integrated with the recently-completed Wurdi Baierr Stadium, next to Banyul Warri Fields in Torquay North, and is the council’s biggest-ever project.