Bundaberg Regional Aquatic Centre FAQs Continued

The 50-metre pool has been designed and constructed to FINA standards.

The design has also taken into consideration, and allows for, touch pads for recording times within events.

There has been no “cost blow-out” on the aquatic centre. 

Council entered into a fixed-price contract with Woollam Constructions for $75.8 million. 

While Council made some early projected cost estimates for the project, as with any major construction project, full costs are not known until detailed designs are complete and tenders are received, particularly in the current economic climate.

The project was originally proposed to be completed in stages. Council has made the decision to complete all stages of this project at once to achieve economies of scale and take advantage of relatively low interest rates to spread the cost of the project over a significant portion of the asset’s useful life.

Furthermore, some comparisons have been made to the price of the aquatic centre currently under construction and the estimates of early concept designs which do not reflect the size, scale or significance of the project being delivered. 

The Bundaberg Aquatic Centre is much more than just a pool. 

It’s a state-of-the-art facility which meets many needs of a growing community from learn-to-swim, rehabilitation and disability access to world-class training and competition. 

There will be three pools, a 50m x 10 lane FINA standard pool, an indoor 25m x 8 lane short course lap pool also suitable for learn-to-swim and a 25m aqua aerobics programs and a warm water program pool to accommodate activities including learn-to-swim, aqua aerobics and water-based physiotherapy.

An on-site café, shop and central courtyard will value-add to the complex. 

Several multipurpose and hire rooms are included. The successful operator of the facility will be able to make them available for a range of out of pool activities, which are yet to be determined, such as class-based training associated with the pool, for example CPR and lifeguard qualifications.

By Bundaberg Regional Council and the Queensland Government.  

Council has received a Queensland Government grant of $13 million.

Council will also continue to apply for Australian Government funding; however the project will be delivered by 2025.

By Bundaberg Regional Council and the Queensland Government.  

Council has received a Queensland Government grant of $13 million.

Council will also continue to apply for Australian Government funding; however the project will be delivered by 2025.

The Bundaberg Aquatic Centre site on Walker Street will create a high-performance sports precinct after extensive research identified it as the best location for the facility. 

The choice of location has created some community speculation given its historic use as a Council waste facility.

However, Bundaberg Regional Council has undertaken several studies over the course of recent years which revealed the Walker Street location was ideally situated and any environmental concerns could be appropriately managed.

The outcome of the studies was that the location was well connected, strategically located alongside like facilities and would actually benefit the environmental outcomes of the former use of the site by improving the capping of the historic landfill. 

In 2019 an options assessment was undertaken to identify potential aquatic centre site locations.

A total of 13 potential sites were included in the assessment, analysed in terms of size, physical or infrastructure constraints, planning requirements, community activation and catchment and accessibility. 

The final report concluded that the Walker Street location, on the site of the old showgrounds, was the preferred location due to its proximity to the Multiplex.  

Council made the tender process open and accessible to local businesses; however, no local contractors submitted a bid. Despite this, Woollam, the successful tenderer, has demonstrated a strong commitment to supporting the local economy by engaging 32% local subcontractors as part of their contract delivery.

Given that the preferred location was the site of a former waste facility, Council’s next step was to conduct an environmental investigation. 

Undertaken in 2020, the investigation was able to draw from previous studies undertaken on the site in 2001 and 2013. 

The results of a series of tests confirmed there were no impediments to the construction of the aquatic facility on this site and also provided the parameters for the structural design of the aquatic centre. 

A further environmental investigation in 2021 provided an in-situ landfill waste characterisation to support the disposal of any material removed from the site and to assist with the design of landfill gas mitigation measures for the buildings.

On the new aquatic centre site, the buildings and pools have been founded on driven concrete piles, which wensure that the weight of the pools and the building is transferred through to nature ground and not be supported by the landfill.  

To mitigate any landfill gases, such as methane and carbon dioxide which can be produced by former landfills, the project included membranes and ventilation under building structures to manage and contain any existing landfill gas. 

The project also includes High Energy Impact Compaction to some of the site focussing around the new carparks, similar to the process for the Multiplex overflow carpark.

Environmental sustainability has been a key focus throughout the project.

Stormwater is treated through a bioretention system before being discharged into Saltwater Creek, helping to protect local waterways.

A total of 110 solar panels have been installed to power all site lighting, including the car park, significantly reducing energy consumption.

To minimise light spill and preserve the amenity of the surrounding neighbourhood, all site lighting has been carefully angled away from Walker Street and nearby roads.

Additionally, rainwater harvesting systems have been implemented to supply water for the pools.

The project design and costs has included the installation of a children’s playground within a secured fenced area.

As with any construction projects, there have been delays primarily caused by wet weather. There has also been delays due to unforeseen conditions within the landfill that could not have been estimated or planned for prior to design and construction.

Yes, both the 50m and 25m pools have seating for parents and children with the 50m pool having raised seating to Level 1.

Belgravia Leisure has been announced as the pool operator under a 2-year management agreement. Belgravia Leisure has extensive experience in operating sites just like this around Australia.

Being a new site, the operating costs of the site are not fully known. The demand and financial assessment commissioned by Council at the time of design projects an expenditure cost for year 1 of approximately $1,950,600.

Council is unable to set an open date of the facility until the construction contract has been completed. Once construction is completed, Council will need a period of 4 weeks to operationalise the facility. Council is working towards an opening date of September; however, this is dependant on potential weather delays in the construction contract. While we can’t give an exact timeframe, we can assure the community that Council is working alongside the pool manager on preparing the operational aspects of the facility to ensure the timeframe between construction completion to opening is as minimal as possible.

Council adopted the fees and charges for entry at its Ordinary Meeting 29 April.

Fees are summarised below:

• Adult: $7
• Pensioner/Concession: $6
• Veterans/Service Personnel: $6
• Child: $5.50 (children under 3 free)
• Family swim (admits four swimmers): $18
• Spectator (adult): $1.50
• Spectator (child): $0.50
• School swimming (when attending as part of school swimming): $5
• Family swim (admits 4 swimmers): $18.00

 Session Pass

• Adult (10 swims): $63
• Child (10 swims): $49.50
• Pensioner/Concession (10 swims): $54

• Adult (25 swims): $154
• Child (25 swims): $121
• Pensioner/Concession (25 swims): $132

Pool Hire

• Price on application

 Membership Fees

• Membership direct debit - Adult  $17.50 per week
• Membership direct debit - Concession/child $14.00 per week
• Membership joining fee $ 20.00 each
• Premium membership direct debit $39.95 per week

 Activities (per class)

• Aqua aerobics - adult $17.50
• Aqua aerobics - child/concession $15.00

Fees for spectators contribute towards the costs of maintaining facilities used by spectators such as changerooms and grounds upkeep.

Council undertook a sample market analysis of similar facilities across Queensland prior to setting the fees for the Aquatic Centre. This considered entry fees for all pools across Queensland particularly focusing on pools of a similar nature across the state. The decision to select fees for the new Centre is not one Council took lightly, it wanted to be certain that the fees were relevant to not only facility but importantly the Bundaberg community. The fee structure has given Council the ability to incorporate fees such as memberships which haven’t been offered in our region. While we understand that the facility is more expensive than the other Council pools in our region, Council also needs to drive some return on investment through the proposed fees.

The Aquatic Centre is not just for elite athletes – it’s for all members of the Bundaberg Region. While the facility is FINA standard for regional competition and will be able to host regional carnivals and competitions, those events will only be a fraction of the uses the facility can offer. Council is proud of the facilities that this pool offers which have not been available within our region.

The Aquatic Centre offers the Bundaberg Region facilities which are not currently available within our region. Some elements of this facility will be game changers for the community and their ability to use the facility:

•     3 x heated pools for year-round access

•     Adult change facilities

•     Ramps for pool entry

•     Access lifts for pool entry

•     Accessible change facilities

•     Multi-purpose rooms to enable allied health style providers use

•     Water polo field including nets

•     Green space for marquees during carnivals and events

•     Electronic timing system

•     Onsite café with designated seating areas

Council has opted to tender the facility for lease. Council’s vision to the create a destination café which would enable not only Aquatic Centre guests but also members of the public from the surrounding area to utilise the café. Council is seeking a dedicated food/beverage operator to provide the best quality café at the site.

Belgravia Leisure will be responsible for setting the service offerings at the site to ensure it meets the communities needs. Belgravia has detailed that the facility will facilitate learn to swim, aqua aerobics, pilates with potential future service offerings to include squad training and allied health services.

No, the facility hasn’t been designed for inflatables use. Inflatables will remain at Norville Swimming Pool for those wishing to utilise inflatables.

The design of the Aquatic Centre focusses on swimming. Council already provides a splash park at Norville Swimming Pool and the future Anzac Park redevelopment also includes a zero-depth splash area. Water play areas are costly to install and Council wanted to ensure that it wasn’t duplicating these water play facilities when nearby facilities already have those assets the community can access.