Civic Pool Likely to Stay Open Until 2030, Barr Tells Assembly
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr has indicated that Canberra's Civic pool is unlikely to close before the end of the decade, with a new aquatic facility expected to be operational by 2030. During question time at the ACT Legislative Assembly on Wednesday, Mr Barr addressed concerns about the future of the city's swimming infrastructure.
No Commitment to New Dive Pool Before Demolition
Independent member for Kurrajong Tom Emerson pressed the Chief Minister on whether the government would commit to building a new deep dive pool before the Canberra Olympic Pool is demolished. Mr Barr declined to make such a commitment, instead focusing on the timeline for the existing facility.
"It remains open until the new facility in Commonwealth Park is complete. The timeframe on that will be likely open until the end of this decade. It is unlikely, given progress to date, that Civic Pool would close before the end of the decade," Mr Barr stated. "If it did, it would be because the other project was complete and open."
New Aquatic Centre Construction Timeline
Construction of the $137.8 million Canberra Aquatic Centre in Commonwealth Park is scheduled to commence in 2027. Once this new facility is finished, the Canberra Olympic Pool site in Civic will be demolished to make way for an entertainment precinct and convention centre.
The government has faced criticism for excluding a dive pool from the new aquatic centre plans, citing "site constraints" as the primary reason. As part of a broader aquatic strategy, authorities have promised to explore options for competition and recreation dive facilities elsewhere in the capital.
Cost Concerns and Alternative Locations
Independent member for Murrumbidgee Fiona Carrick questioned the financial feasibility of future dive facilities, asking: "If you can't afford competition-level diving facilities in the new Canberra Aquatic Centre now, how can you guarantee you will be able to afford them somewhere else later?"
Mr Barr explained that cost factors vary significantly depending on location and construction conditions. "A major driver of cost is the depth in which you need to dig in order to get to a five-metre deep pool. What you are digging into, so rock versus other, I guess, other earth or softer earth, that drives cost, as well as the size of the body of water," he said. "They are factors that drive the cost, so too indoor versus outdoor. So these are the factors that are being considered."
Aquatics Strategy and Community Consultation
Sport and Recreation Minister Yvette Berry outlined plans for a new aquatics strategy during the Assembly session, emphasising the popularity of Canberra's public pools. "Our public pools are incredibly popular," Ms Berry noted. "Last year, there were over one million visits to Canberra's public pools. With continued improvements, we expect to see strong visitation throughout this year."
Greens leader Shane Rattenbury questioned why the government hadn't collaborated with local community and sporting groups to co-design the strategy. Ms Berry defended the decision to engage a consultant, stating: "It is simply not true that the ACT government is unwilling to working with sporting and aquatic organisations. I have written to over 30 aquatic user groups with regards to the strategy and the process going forward and they will be very much deeply embedded in the consultation process."
She added that expert input was crucial for gathering data and understanding modern pool construction methods specific to ACT usage patterns.
Community Petitions and Future Hopes
Greens Ginninderra MLA Jo Clay informed the Assembly that a petition calling for government ownership of the Big Splash site had garnered more than 3000 signatures in just one week. The petition advocates for maintaining the site as an aquatic facility featuring a 50-metre pool and water slides.
"There's a lot of hope the government might be able to get that site back and if they get it back there's a real desire to see the issues move forward," Ms Clay remarked, highlighting community enthusiasm for preserving aquatic amenities.
The ongoing discussions reflect broader public interest in Canberra's swimming infrastructure as the city prepares for significant redevelopment projects over the coming years.
