Port Macquarie Aquatic Facility - Site Selection

An aquatic facility that caters for the region’s continuing growth is a high priority for the Port Macquarie-Hastings community, and at the July 2019 meeting, Council resolved to conduct further community engagement on possible sites for a new facility.

PROJECT BACKGROUND

The Port Macquarie Pool was built in 1966, and is approaching its use by date, with structural, accessibility, programming and maintenance issues identified as barriers in providing quality swimming facilities for the community into the future.

Other facilities within the current Port Macquarie Pool complex are also reaching the end of their useful life with the toddler’s pool undergoing rectification works in 2017 as a short-term solution to extend its usability.

In mid-2018 Council engaged Otium Planning Group, a specialist consultancy service with extensive expertise in aquatic facility development and management, who commenced a thorough review of the region’s current aquatic facilities and future needs.

In developing the Port Macquarie-Hastings Aquatics Strategy, Otium have identified and recommended the key components needed to meet the aquatic needs of the community for the next 50 years. These elements include a 50 metre and 25 metre pool, children’s water play, program pools, and fitness & wellness elements.

Detailed costing for a new aquatic facility will be determined following the detailed design stage of the project. However, based on recently developed contemporary facilities within Australia, it is estimated that the project in its entirety will cost in the vicinity of $40 - $50 million.

SITE OPTIONS

Based on the community engagement already undertaken, and the Otium report findings, six Council owned or managed sites in Port Macquarie have been identified that could accommodate a new aquatic facility.

The six potential sites are as follows:

• Macquarie Park (Gordon Street)

• Dixie Park (Aston Street)

• Findlay Park (Findlay Avenue)

• Upper Oxley Oval (Pacific Drive)

• Thrumster Sporting Complex (College Drive)

• Wayne Richards Park (Koala Street) - that part of the Park currently occupied by the Council Depot

These six sites and the current pool locations across the Local Government Area are shown in the Site Contexts Map available in the Document Library (to the right of this page).

High-level layouts have been developed for each of these sites (also available in the Document Library).

ALTERNATIVE OPTION

In addition, there is the alternative option to upgrade the existing site in Gordon Street. It is recognised that the existing pool site is not large enough to accommodate a new aquatic facility based on the identified spatial requirements. However, an alternate option to constructing a new aquatic facility would be to upgrade or replace the existing pool facilities to extend their useful life. This would essentially involve a like-for-like upgrade; however, further works would be required to bring the facility up to current industry standards and meet compliance requirements, which have come into effect since the original facility was constructed.

The estimated cost of delivering this option is in the order of $8 - 10 million. The works would need to be undertaken over an extended period (estimated 8-12 months). It is likely that the entire pool facility would be closed during this period to complete the works. Further, this option does not address existing congestion issues associated with this facility, which will only worsen as our population continues to expand.

Each of the options has its "pros and cons" which are detailed in the Positives and Constraints document in the Document Library to the right of this page. Frequently Asked Questions relating to the project are also available in the Document Library.

HAVE YOUR SAY

We are looking for your feedback on the different site options and the various criteria which will help Council determine the best site for a new Aquatic Facility.

To share your views, please complete the online survey below or see right for alternative ways to Have Your Say.

Community engagement will take place from Monday 22 July until Sunday 1 September, 2019.

Following this engagement period, it is proposed that a report will go to Council at the September 2019 meeting for a decision to be made on the preferred site. This will then allow the project to move to Strategic Concept development, followed by Detailed Design, with further community engagement to take place at each stage of the project.