Protest, petition over Aquatic Centre’s 16-month closure

The opposition has joined protesters in the Adelaide parklands to demand Labor reverse a key decision on the city’s new aquatic centre.

Protesters outside the Adelaide Aquatic Centre said they had come to defend the parklands trees from plans to upgrade the facility. Picture: Emma Brasier

More than 1000 people have signed a petition calling on the Malinauskas Government to reverse a decision to close the Adelaide Aquatic Centre while its replacement is built.

Opposition infrastructure spokesman Vincent Tarzia joined protesters at the Jeffcott St parklands site on Sunday to call for the current centre to be kept open while the new complex is built.

Protesters outside the Adelaide Aquatic Centre on Sunday. Picture: Emma Brasier

Opposition infrastructure spokesman Vincent Tarzia was on hand for the protest. Picture: Emma Brasier

Protests also focused on the possible removal of 50 to 60 trees to make way for the new centre.

Early works on the new Aquatic Centre are underway but it is not due for completion until summer 2025-26, while the current building will close on August 1 next year.

“We have been absolutely inundated with complaints,” Mr Tarzia said.

“After the election … we are now told they are going to be without a site for some 16 months. It’s just simply not good enough.”

Infrastructure Minister Tom Koutsantonis said about 700,000 people used the centre each year.

“The greater good here is building an Aquatic Centre that can cope with over a million people each year, and last a lot longer – and giving more land back to the parklands,” Mr Koutsantonis said.

Mr Tarzia said elderly people doing rehabilitation and young people in Learn to Swim programs were among those who would be forced to travel to other facilities, including outdoor pools, during the closure.

Transport Minister Tom Koutsantonis said the project would serve Adelaide’s greater good. Picture: Dean Martin

Premier Peter Malinauskas, pictured with his daughter Eliza, made a splash with his election promise at the Adelaide Aquatic Centre in North Adelaide. Picture: Brenton Edwards

“We don’t want to see any trees unnecessarily removed,” Mr Tarzia said.

“There’s no doubt that revegetation has to occur, especially if they are going to take out literally dozens of these trees that have been here a long time.”

However, the Adelaide City Council has already allocated an additional $20 million to return the space back to parklands once the old centre is demolished.

Mr Tarzia said Labor’s initial cost projections for the new Aquatic Centre had risen from $80m to $135m, with the addition of an extra water slide.

He also said that the Member for Adelaide, Lucy Hood, had previously stated that the old centre would remain open during construction.

However, Mr Koutsantonis said no such promise was made before the last state election.

“The irony of their request today is … if we did what Vincent Tarzia wanted, we’d actually be cutting down more trees and retaining less parklands,” he said.

“We always said before the election that we’d either build on the existing site, or a site adjacent.”