VIEW PDF OF ORANGE AQUATIC CENTRE DESIGN CONCEPTS
Work on an indoor aquatic centre will commence in July after the Federal Government committed $3.6 million to the project.
The project was officially launched today by Minister for infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government The Hon Anthony Albanese and Orange Mayor John Davis.
The $7.2 million centre will be constructed on the existing Aquatic Centre site adjacent to the Olympic Pool. The new facility will include an indoor heated 25-metre eight lane pool, the covering of the existing toddlers’ pool, tiered seating for 200, a crèche, a new kiosk and outdoor café area, additional parking, new change rooms, a courtyard and upgraded entry.
The funding was provided under the Federal Government’s Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program. Work will commence in July with detailed design. The aim is to have the new centre competed for the 2011/12 summer.
Orange Mayor John Davis said an indoor aquatic centre had been on the agenda for years.
“Communities in and around large progressive regional centres such as Orange expect and want this type and standard of facility. It will provide a facility for young and old in a climate that can currently reduce the swimming season down to a few months. This will be a year round facility,” he said.
The aquatic centre project joins an extensive capital works program that includes the Ploughmans Creek Stormwater Harvesting Project, stage two of the North Orange Bypass and the Resource Recovery and Waste Management Project. Council is also well advanced in seeking external funds for the Macquarie Pipeline Project.
“This volume of work is not without challenges. However, Council has the financial and operational capacity to undertake these projects. In recent years Council has been extremely successful in securing external funds, which has reduced the burden on ratepayers when generational projects are delivered,” Mayor Davis said.
The Aquatic Centre Project has the potential to create approximately 70 direct jobs during the construction period and an additional 12 equivalent full-time direct ongoing jobs once operational.
The bulk of the construction is scheduled to be undertaken outside the main summer swimming season. However it may be necessary to close the swimming season earlier than usual next year. Every attempt will be made to minimise disruptions and user groups will be kept informed.
Significant water savings have been made at the Orange Pool in recent years. In 2007/08 and 2008/09 the annual usage was 15 megalitres. For the 2009/10 year that figures is 5 megalitres. The savings have been a result of operational changes, recycling measures and upgrades, which included RLCIP funded work last year. Council has and will continue to use ground water to supply the pool.
Council voted to seek RLCIP funding for the new aquatic centre in December last year. As reported to Council at that meeting, the city’s share of the project will be funded through capital reserves. The funding can also be offset by asset sales and $100,000 in funds raised by the Swimfit Committee.
There is no requirement for loan funding for this project and as such, it will not affect the debt service ratio.
“Council has completed and shared in the funding of numerous projects in recent times, including the Northern Distributor Road, Anzac Park, CCTV cameras, traffic lights on Bathurst Road, first round RLCIP projects and the Blackmans Swamp Stormwater Harvesting Scheme. This work has provided a framework and the skill set to manage expanded capital works,” Mayor Davis said.
Council will continue to recharge capital reserves to be in a position to compliment external funding sources as they become available for large projects.
Orange City Council has now received a total of $4.85 million in RLCIP funding.
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