North coast pool plan slow to surface

ALKIMOS or Yanchep could be suitable locations for a public pool facility, but there is no timeframe yet on when it will be built.

Wanneroo Council is due to consider a report on the northern coastal growth corridor (NCGC) pool feasibility study next week, which recommends developing a business case for either an indoor facility with a 25m pool and sports courts or a 50m outdoor pool.

Population prediction figures included in the study, prepared by SGL Consulting Group, suggested the number of people living in the corridor would more than quadruple from 35,544 in 2016 to 160,000 by 2041.

“A population of 160,000 is likely to be adequate to justify at least two small or one large aquatic and recreation centres,” it said.

“Given the age profile of the NCGC the priority should be on servicing the needs of children and families.

“As the NCGC has limited aquatic facilities, the short term priority should be a facility which operates all year round.

“Therefore the short term solution should include an indoor aquatic facility of at least 25m in length.”

The SGL report said “the minimum annual attendance at a well-designed and managed indoor aquatic centre will be at least 90,000 based on the 2016 population” and grow to about 250,000 and 410,000 in 2028 and 2041 respectively.

“Sufficient current demand exists for an aquatic centre,” it said.

“By 2041 demand will exist for a major regional aquatic centre and possibly a smaller facility.”

Mayor Tracey Roberts put up a motion on February 6, 2018 to put an indoor aquatic and recreation facility on the City’s advocacy strategy and bring the timeframe forward from 2042-46, when it was planned to be built in Yanchep.

At the February 3 council briefing, Councillor Linda Aitken asked what the expected completion date was for the facility given it had been two years since the council passed that motion.

“It’s a little bit early to tell,” community and place director Debbie Terelinck said.

“It depends on things like land acquisition, funding and consultation.

“There’s a lot of preparation for this project to commence.”

Mrs Roberts said the reason she brought it to the council was the current timeframe was a quarter of a century away, and thousands of people had signed petitions in 2018 and 2019 supporting its early delivery.

If council supports the recommendation at the February 10 meeting, Ms Terelinck said the City would seek consultants to develop the business case, giving them 12 weeks to complete it.

The council report said an outdoor 50m pool could cost $12.6 million to $18.55 million to build, and cost $1.17 million a year to run with income expected to be $304,089 annually.

For an indoor facility, the construction costs could be $60.6 million with a 25m pool or $66.5 million with a 50m pool.

Anticipated annual operating costs would be $3.98 million for a 25m pool or $4.17 million for a 50m pool, with annual income expected to be $1.9 million for both.

“The business case makes a very strong recommendation in terms of having wet site facilities with dry site facilities with indoor sports courts,” Ms Terelinck said.

The report said there could also be a $26 million cost to buy land for the facility, noting so far the City had budgeted $35 million in its long term financial plan and received a $5 million federal grant to design the facility.

The study said an aquatic centre should meet current and future demands, but that the current population did not justify a 50m pool.

“The major reason a 50m is developed is to conduct elite swimming training, and major swimming competitions,” it said.

“It is unlikely that major swim meets will be attracted to NCGC on a regular basis.

“All activities which require a 50m pool can be undertaken in a 25m pool.”

Cr Aitken asked whether the City should build the facility for the future population rather than the current population.

The study noted there were no swimming pools, public or privately-run, north of Butler or between Quinns Rocks and Burns Beach Road.

It also identified 10 sports halls in the broader region, nine of which were south of Burns Beach Road.

“There are more than 20 schools within the NCGC, with more than 41 proposed and potential locations for future school developments,” it said.

“Three high schools have been identified for Alkimos and Eglinton and eight night schools in Yanchep and Two Rocks.

“The need to provide access to aquatic and recreation facilities for these future students is evident.”

The study also highlighted the need for a heated pool that could be used all year round, and said it was easier to heat an indoor pool than an outdoor facility.

The report said data from the Scarborough Beach pool showed about 500 children took part in swimming lessons in the summer teens, 1 and 4, while only 50 did so in the cooler terms 2 and 3.

It recommended building an indoor aquatic and recreation centre over four stages, with the first to provide a 25m, six-lane pool, young children’s leisure pool and four-court sports hall.

The second stage could add a splash pad, warm water pool for rehabilitation and a spa pool.

The third stage could add a 400sq m leisure pool, a 25m lap and training pool with 10 lanes, a show court with retractable seating, and possibly a creche.

It also included the option to extend the lap pool to 50m.

In the fourth stage, a health and fitness suite, sauna and steam room, and multipurpose function, activity and meeting spaces could be added.

The report said three potential ocean pool sites were considered – Two Rocks Marina, Quinns Beach and Jindee estate in Jindalee – but discounted because they would not be suitable for swimming lessons.

It identified three locations for an indoor facility – the future Yanchep city centre, future Alkimos town centre and Two Rocks north – but discounted the last because it was at the northern end of the growth corridor.

It said an Alkimos site was likely to be available sooner than one in Yanchep, and would be more central to the growth corridor, which extended from Butler and Jindalee to Two Rocks.

The study said developers had been contacted, with Yanchep Beach Joint Venture suggesting sites near Splendid Park or the future train station and stadium.

Alkimos Beach and Vista developer Lendlease suggested the City include the facility in the future Alkimos regional open space east of the freeway road reserve, as it had no sites available in either estate.

Jindee developer Estates Development Company proposed a 25m unheated outdoor pool using ocean water in a beachfront location.