A GROUP of community members has been formed to help shape the future of the proposed swimming centre in Mordialloc.
Kingston Council is planning to build the new pool at a site by Jack Grut Reserve. The new pool will replace the closed Don Tatnell Leisure Centre in Parkdale.
Last week council confirmed that a 25 person “community reference group” has been appointed to help bring the project to life. The group will discuss the project regularly and offer feedback to council on its progress.
Last year Kingston Council executed an option deed worth $14.6 million for a site at 1-7 Wells Road. The land will be used for the aquatic centre.
Kingston mayor Steve Staikos said the new aquatic centre “is one of the most significant projects in the history of our city.”
“This is a major investment in the future health and wellbeing of our residents, and we are committed to working in partnership with the community to make sure we design a centre that serves everyone well for decades to come,” he said. “It will be right in the heart of Kingston and will become an asset for all ages. From learning to swim, playing in water, building strength in the gym and practicing your butterfly, to warm water exercise and rehabilitation – it will cater to you.
“The community reference group will play a key role in representing the different community needs and views during this important planning phase and have an influence on the design. We are committed to providing facilities that are more sustainable, accessible, and environmentally sensitive and that will be a major focus of this project as well.”
A report prepared for Kingston Council in 2021 read that the cost of building a new aquatic centre could be between $40 million and $50 million (“Preferred site for new pool revealed” The News 19/1/22). The federal government has pledged $20 million towards the project.
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 2 November 2022