With summer now behind us, the Lambton Swimming Centre is gearing up for the construction of a new grandstand capable of hosting 800 people during school swimming carnivals as part of City of Newcastle’s continued investment to protect and enhance the popular facility.
Demolition of the existing 60-year-old concrete grandstand gets underway today with the program of work timed to coincide with the upcoming closure of the pool on 28 May for the winter period to minimise impact on pool users.
Chair of City of Newcastle’s (CN) Infrastructure Advisory Committee Councillor Peta Winney-Baartz said replacing the grandstand reflects CN’s commitment to investing in quality upgrades to its inland pool facilities, as outlined in the draft ‘Inland Pools Strategy 2043’.
“City of Newcastle is committed to maintaining and investing in the Lambton Swimming Centre to ensure it continues to meet the expectations and evolving needs of the 185,000 community members, sporting clubs and visitors that enjoy the pool each year,” Cr Winney-Baartz said.
The design for the new grandstand retains the existing roof structure and includes much-needed storage space for operational requirements including equipment for school and sporting groups, while also including upgraded accessibility considerations.
Cr Winney-Baartz said with Lambton Swimming Centre being the most popular swimming centre in the Hunter, it’s important that the site’s offerings expand to serve the community.
“With a growing population, replacing the current grandstand with a structure that can accommodate up to 800 people while also catering for the needs of sporting clubs and improved accessibility will contribute to Lambton Swimming Centre’s safe operation into the future while meeting the needs of its many diverse users,” Cr Winney-Baartz said.
CN has invited tenders for the construction of the new concrete grandstand and hopes to appoint a tenderer for the work by the end of the month.
A scheduled program of maintenance has commenced at Lambton Swimming Centre and includes safety upgrades, painting, and changeroom improvements, whilst the installation of a more efficient heating system is also underway.
CN’s draft Inland Pools Strategy 2043 outlines a plan for the management and renewal of CN’s five swimming pools over the next 20 years. The community is invited to provide feedback on the strategy before 5pm on 12 May 2023 by visiting www.haveyoursay.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/inland-pools-strategy.
