City advances Armadale Aquatic Centre plans

The community’s continued passion for an Armadale indoor aquatic facility has lead the Council to bring forward the Centre’s design process for immediate commencement.

The Aquatic Centre project has been on the City’s Long Term Financial Plan for many years and a major upgrade was scheduled to commence in 2018/19.

Armadale Mayor Henry Zelones OAM, JP said that 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.

“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,” he said. 

Mayor Zelones said that 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.

“We can show that every dollar has been carefully accounted and if our application for funding is successful we can save our community over $15 million in future costs.

“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. The City of Armadale is one of the last remaining metro local government areas without such a recreational facility.

“It is projects like this which would benefit from a national fund for infrastructure in outer metro areas, which we are seeking through the Fund our Future campaign.”

Tenders for Lead Design Consultancy Services for the Armadale Aquatic Centre Redevelopment will be sought in July 2016.