Indoor and outdoor all-age play areas and many other recreation attractions have been announced for North Adelaide’s new state-of-the-art Adelaide Aquatic Centre.
Water slides, splash zones and lawned recreation spaces are features of the new facility which is expected to increase significantly the amount of land returned to Park Lands.
According to the Adelaide City Council, the extent of scoping work and consultation with the community, sporting groups and local residents allowed the concept designs to be unveiled for the build, with the new centre to include amenities not currently available to users of the existing facility.
The new centre is to include: A 50-metre 10-lane indoor pool; A 25 metre six-lane outdoor pool and lagoon; A warm-water indoor pool dedicated to rehabilitation programs; An indoor pool for learn-to-swim programs; Diving amenities; Indoor and outdoor all-ages play areas; A café; gym and fitness facilities; A spa, sauna and steam room; Community change rooms; and Improved car parking with access from Jeffcott Road.
The total project is to cost $135 million to build over three years.
The Council said the design for the new facility would allow it to return more space to park lands than it previously expected with 1,000 square metres more open space in North Adelaide’s Park 2 at the completion of the project than there has been.
“To accommodate this outcome and minimise the impact of construction on the Park Lands, the Government and the City of Adelaide have agreed that the existing Aquatic Centre will now close during the major construction phase, from August 2024 until the project’s completion in the Summer of 2025-26,” the Council said.
“This will accommodate an innovative multi-level sustainably-designed facility that minimises the footprint of the new centre and will be set back 70 metres from Barton Terrace West – up from the early planning of 40 metres – enhancing its connectivity with the Park Lands while improving the amenity for residents,” it said.
“This approach also better aligns with National Heritage principles, creating a clearer delineation between the city and Park Lands and allowing the structure to be embedded within the natural landscape.”
The State Government is in discussions with the Adelaide City Council about its role in the closure of the existing centre, covering the cost of demolishing and remediating the site of the existing council-run facility and returning the existing centre site back to Park Lands.
An Expression of Interest has been released for potential builders to construct the facility.
