Slabs have been laid for three of the new pools at the heart of the new $135 million Adelaide Aquatic Centre, as the building structure takes shape.
Labor pledged to build and operate a brand new Aquatic Centre if elected at the 2022 election, and the foundations have now been laid for the 50-metre indoor pool, the Warm Water/Rehabilitation indoor pool and the Learn to Swim indoor pool.
The 50-metre, 10-lane indoor pool will provide state-of-the-art training facilities for up-and-coming athletes, as well as accommodating swimming carnivals, water sports and recreational use.
The Warm Water/Rehabilitation pool will be ideal for aquatic therapy, gentle exercise, rehabilitation and quiet relaxation. It will be kept between 32 and 34 degrees year-round.
Work on the remaining pools, including the indoor splash zone, outdoor lagoon and 25-metre pool have commenced and will continue in the new year.
The new centre – which will be powered by 100 per cent renewable energy and constructed wherever possible with locally-sourced, low-carbon emission materials – will feature extensive indoor and outdoor pool areas, water slides, splash zones and lawned recreation facilities.
It will also contain a gym and fitness centre, plus a relaxation zone/sauna/steam room and improved change rooms.
Demolition of the former aquatic centre site continues, with the internal structures being removed and the former pools now backfilled with soil excavated from the new pool site. More than 1000 square metres of land will be returned to Park Lands once the new centre is completed and the existing centre is demolished.
As work continues, over 100 swim groups and over 2000 learn-to-swim students are using other centres around Adelaide temporarily, including the Thebarton Aquatic Centre which was refurbished earlier this year.
More than 1500 jobs are being supported over the life of the project. The new centre will open to the public in the summer of 2025-26.
As put by Peter Malinauskas
The progress here at the site of the new Adelaide Aquatic Centre is fantastic to see, with three of the pool slabs now laid and the structure of the building taking shape.
This facility is going to be a huge step forward for water recreation in Adelaide, and every construction milestone is a step closer to the centre opening in Summer 2025-26.
As put by Tom Koutsantonis
This will be a sustainably designed swimming centre, built responsibly using locally-sourced, low carbon materials wherever possible.
It's also providing enormous economic benefits for the state, with more than 1500 full-time equivalent jobs supported across the life of the project.
As put by Lucy Hood
It is so exciting to see the brand-new Aquatic Centre is taking shape, which will be a game-changer for our local community thanks to its indoor and outdoor pools, splash zones and waterslides.
Recently, I toured inside the old centre where the old pools are being filled in to make way for extra Park Lands. That's why this project is a win-win, because it delivers improved community services and more Park Lands.
