A feasibility study has been undertaken into the future Gungahlin Leisure Centre which will be located in a 'wellness precinct' along with Gungahlin College, community library, CIT adult learning centre, town park and the future Gungahlin Enclosed Oval.

As well as the main pool, the Centre is proposed to include a 20-metre program pool with variable depth floor which can be used for a range of activities including hydrotherapy, learn to swim, aqua aerobics, and water play, indoor and outdoor wet play areas, a gymnasium, flexible activity program rooms, childcare and a café.

Two possible design concepts have been prepared – one with a 50 metre pool and one with a 25 metre pool.

Where to get more information and have your say:

Two public drop-in information sessions will be held at the Canberra Raiders Club in the Town Centre from 12 noon to 1.30 pm and from 6.30 pm to 8 pm on Monday 9 February 2011.

The plans will also be displayed at the Gungahlin Library, corner of Ernest Cavanagh Street and Gungahlin Place, Gungahlin

They will also be on the web at www.tams.act.gov.au

Feedback on the preferred plans can be mailed to:

Gungahlin Leisure Centre Options, GPO Box 158, Civic, ACT 2601 or 
emailed to communityengagement@act.gov.au

For more information, please contact Canberra Connect on 13 22 81.

Submissions and comments close: 5pm, Wednesday 2 March 2011.

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Background Information

Prior to the 2008 election, Jon Stanhope and Andrew Barr made a clear and unambiguous promise to the people of Gungahlin, as is still available on this media release from 4 August 2008.

“Gungahlin residents to benefit from new 50m pool complex"

Labor Member for Molonglo and Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation, Andrew Barr today announced a re-elected Stanhope Government will build a pool and indoor leisure centre for the Gungahlin community.

Mr Barr said the Government is currently investigating the scope of the centre which will include a 50 metre pool, a 25 metre pool at least 1 court space, for example a netball court and associated amenities such as a café and gymnasium."

Interestingly, the next day they pooh poohed the ACT Liberals’ ability to deliver on their counter promise, and reiterated the ALP promise in even more definite language:

“Yesterday Chief Minister Jon Stanhope and Mr Barr announced a re-elected Stanhope Government will build an indoor recreational facility in Gungahlin that will include a 50 metre pool, a 25 metre pool, at least 1 court space, for example a netball court, and associated amenities such as a café and gymnasium.”

“…will build…” Not a lot of room for confusion there…

GCC has been growing increasingly concerned over the last 8 months about the apparent back-pedalling by Andrew Barr on this issue.

We acknowledge that 50m pools cost a bit to operate, but so do all community facilities. To base this decision on the ability of a centre to turn a profit is to totally lose sight of the government’s role in delivering equitable community services across the ACT, as all local governments strive to do. It’s not as if we ever say that libraries should have to turn a profit to be considered – why should it be so for pools? In fact, it could be argued that the previous exercises with outsourcing management of Canberra’s pool centres have not been particularly glowing examples.

Andrew Barr has acknowledged Gungahlin's population will hit 50,000 within the next 3 years, and the reality is that the accelerated land release will mean we will be well on towards the design population of 100,000 before we know it.

And with population densities far higher than anywhere else in Canberra, our recreational facilities become all the more important to compensate for our lack of back yards and play spaces.

Land use in the Gungahlin town centre is incredibly tight and we have had an uphill battle fitting all the needs for the college (open Monday!), library, oval and aquatic centre within the very limited space available. We have one site only for this centre so it has to built properly first time.

The GCC encourages residents to email Jon Stanhope (stanhope@act.gov.au)and Andrew Barr directly (barr@act.gov.au) as well as the official consultation email address communityengagement@act.gov.au