CITY of Armadale will seek a $1 million tender in July for lead design consultancy services to upgrade the indoor aquatic facility.
It is hoping the move will speed up the approvals process and make the facility “shovel ready” to be eligible for Federal Government funding.
The aquatic centre project has been on the City’s long-term financial plan for many years and a major upgrade had been scheduled to start in 2018-19.
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READ NOWBut the City last week decided to bring the design and documentation element of the project forward by two years because of the community’s continued passion for a year-round facility.
City of Armadale is one of the last remaining metro local government areas without such a recreational facility.
Armadale Mayor Henry Zelones said the City has been seeking Federal Government funding for the project under its National Stronger Regions Fund (NSRF) program.
“Our community has been so patient on this and the council has been prudent in its approach, closing the Kelmscott Pool in 2004 and commencing a staged upgrade of our remaining centre in 2010,” he said.
“We are convinced that every barrier to the project should now be removed and have been bitterly disappointed that it was not successful in earlier rounds of NSRF funding.
“So we are committing to the first $1 million of expenditure to complete design and documentation immediately.
“That should remove any doubt in the minds of the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development that we are shovel-ready and can complete the project within the NSRF guidelines.”
Cr Zelones said the funding was already allowed for in the City’s long term plans and would not affect the forthcoming budget, subject to tight fiscal constraint.
“The provision of a heated year round indoor aquatic facility will not only bring water based activities, but also long term health and wellbeing benefits,” he said.
Tenders for lead design consultancy services for the redevelopment will be sought in July 2016.