Adelaide Aquatic Centre bill now $135m as new vision unveiled

The Adelaide Aquatic Centre will get an extra cash splash to build a bigger “world-class” - but the site will close for at least a year from August 2024 for the build.

The Adelaide Aquatic Centre’s upgrade will get an extra $55m cash splash taking the cost to $135m, for what the state government promises will be a “world-class” facility.

The site will close for more than a year from August 2024 as a new replacement is built and the future of the centre’s 126 employees — about one-fifth full time — is uncertain.

The new multi-level centre will see 1000sq m returned to open space and it will be set back 70m from Barton Terrace West, up from the initial 40m, to placate local residents.

An artist impression of the new Adelaide Aquatic Centre.

The new centre will have a 50m, 10-lane indoor pool suitable for carnivals, sport and recreational use and now also a 25m, six-lane outdoor pool with lagoon, likely to only be open in the warmer months.

The new design also includes:

A dedicated warm-water indoor pool incorporating a rehabilitation program as well as a dedicated indoor pool for learn-to-swim programs, plus diving amenities;

Extensive indoor and outdoor all-ages play areas with water slides, splash zones, BBQs and lawn areas;

Cafe available for centre visitors and also other Park 2 users;

Gym and fitness facilities three times larger than previously planned, spa, sauna and steam room.

The multi-level centre will be a “world class facility,” Premier Malinauskas said.

The centre loses about $1m a year picked up by Adelaide City Council and Premier Peter Malinauskas said the new centre’s facilities including gym and cafe would provide an ongoing revenue stream to underpin its costs.

He said he did not want to have regrets over building for the short term.

“We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build a new state-of-the-art Aquatic Centre that will serve the needs of South Australians for decades to come,” he said.

“This will be a facility with something for every South Australian, and it’s important we do it right.”

Regular user groups are being contacted about the closure to give them time to make alternative arrangements until the centre reopens for the summer of 2025-26.

Officials say most users, including learn-to-swim programs will be accommodated across facilities including the Parks Community Centre and UniSA’s Pridham Hall and hope the permanent staff can be redeployed in other roles.

The centre will feature all-ages play areas, and ample grass areas.

Infrastructure Minister Tom Koutsantonis said closure was “short term pain for gain” as it would allow the new centre to be built much faster rather than trying to keep the existing pool open while the new centre is built.

Asked by The Advertiser if it would be built to competition standards, Mr Koutsantonis said officials are still consulting on the standard of the main pool but noted the Marion centre remains the flagship for major competitions.

Treasurer Stephen Mullighan said the extra $55m cost would not see money diverted from existing or promised programs.

The new centre is set to open before the summer of 2025-26.

He noted the government plan would have “a much more significant range of facilities than the Adelaide Crows were considering … it will be a massive improvement on what is there currently and will be leaps and bounds on what the Crows were proposing to Adelaide City Council.”

The Premier, Treasurer and Infrastructure Minister were joined by Lord Mayor Jane Lomax-Smith and Member of Adelaide Lucy Hood for the announcement, Ms Hood lamenting the weather was a bit chilly for Mr Malinauskas to take his shirt off for a swim as he famously did at Labor’s upgrade promise prior to the state election.

Opposition treasury spokesman Matt Cowdrey said the extra $55m “confirms Labor can’t be trusted to deliver on major projects.”

“Since Labor took office there has been cost blow out after cost blow out — the North-South Corridor $5bn, the new Women’s and Children’s Hospital $1bn, now this,” he said.