A FINA standard 10 lane 50 metre Olympic swimming pool, universal access ramps, dedicated spectator seating, landscaping, barbecue area and new change rooms and toilets are just some of the exciting features residents can look forward to when Stage One of the new pool project is complete.
Residents can expect to see progress made at the site in the coming weeks as Griffith City Council prepares for the development, with demolition of the old skate park set to kick things off.
The Concept Plan for the Griffith Regional Aquatic Leisure Centre (GRALC) redevelopment can be viewed on Council’s website. It provides details of the Stage One works, required to be delivered by the end of 2021 as part of the funding agreement.
Griffith City Council, Director Business Cultural and Financial Services, Max Turner, said it was good to see progress being made with the appointment of Altus Group as the Project Managers.
“Consultancy services have also been secured which includes building certification, civil engineering, aquatic engineering, landscaping, and geotechnical services,” Mr Turner said.
“We are moving on with demolition of the old skate park. There has been some interest from the public for Council to keep photographic records of the graffiti artwork before it is demolished, which we are in the process of doing.”
Now that final Tender specifications have been prepared, the Tender for the Design and Construction of the 50M pool, amenities, landscaping and plant room will be advertised.
“Trees have already been removed at the site to facilitate the construction of the new facility and we anticipate that the design of the pool will be completed by June or July 2020, with construction works to commence shortly thereafter,” Mr Turner said.
The opportunity to build the new 50 metre pool arose through a $10M grant from the NSW State Government’s Regional Sports Infrastructure Fund.
Council also secured external grant funding of $4.5M from the Federal Government’s Building Better Regions Fund. Council supported with a further $10.3M for a total initial budget of $24.8M for the overall Griffith Regional Sports Precinct project.
The GRALC redevelopment forms part of this Sports Precinct, with $7M initially dedicated to the swimming complex.
The Westend Oval component of the Sports Precinct project will see the construction of a first-class, multi-purpose regional sports complex, catering for a variety of sports.
It will include seven indoor basketball courts with seating for up to 1,000 people, seven all- weather netball courts, a new synthetic athletics track with new lighting, a new synthetic turf hockey pitch and a new grandstand.
Mayor John Dal Broi said it was full steam ahead for this important sporting infrastructure.
“Our vision is becoming a reality. These developments will allow Griffith to become a major sporting City, helping us develop a wide variety of sport programs and competitions that will benefit the entire region.”
The Griffith Sporting Precinct Master Plan can also be viewed at www.griffith.nsw.gov.au
