State Government commits to $13 million in funding for Bundaberg aquatic centre

More than 100 jobs are set to be created with the announcement of big dollars for Bundaberg’s upcoming aquatic centre. Here’s what the funding will mean and where it will take the region.

Bundaberg Mayor Jack Dempsey, Member for Bundaberg Tom Smith and Assistant Minister for Local Government Nikki Boyd.

A total of 126 jobs are set to be created throughout Queensland with the announcement of $13 million in Works for Queensland funding for the first stage of Bundaberg’s planned aquatics centre.

“It will be a fantastic, long-lasting asset for the community of Bundaberg,” Assistant Minister for Local Government Nikki Boyd said in Bundaberg on Friday.

“It will be a facility that is to FINA standard, a 10-lane, 50-metre swimming pool that will be all-accessibility available as well,” she said.

The project is being funded by the state and local government, with the level of cash from the Queensland Government also determined by the region’s population and unemployment status.

Ms Boyd said the $13 million was a kick-starter that would bring jobs and get the ball rolling on the facility which is expected to be entirely completed by July 30, 2024.

Ms Boyd said more funding would be needed for later stages of the project and said the state would work with the council, who has committed to the project regardless of funding from other tiers of government.

“We’ll def be working with council to be getting this facility built for the local community,” she said.

“It’s absolutely a job-creating project, but it also invests livability in cities as well because we can get people attracted to come and work in regional areas and to stay in regional areas as well.”

Member for Bundaberg Tom Smith said the announcement was exciting because the facilities at the aquatic centre would help train new generations of athletes.

“How exciting it is to have gold-standard, Olympic size swimming pool that‘s going to be built right here in Bundaberg and on the same day that it looks like Queensland’s going to get its very own Olympics as well,” he said.

“This is exciting because you know when you build the best facilities you give your young athletes the best opportunities to go and achieve their dreams and I reckon in Bundy we might see a couple of young swimmers once this pool‘s created, heading towards that Olympic dream and how good would it be to have young Bundaberg swimmers representing Australia at Queensland’s very own Olympics and what a great way to really find that synergy here today.”

Mr Smith praised the council, saying that shortly after he was elected he’d gone to the council to pitch they use the Works for Queensland funding for “something big”.

Jack Dempsey, perhaps most famous for introducing himself as the “mayor of the beautiful Bundaberg region” said the facility was about access for those with limited physical ability as well as providing a training ground for young people and the athletes of the future.

“This particular program is about creating jobs, it’s about economic development and it’s about our liveability and lifestyle, not just in the Bundaberg region, but giving opportunities to the wider region for young people to be able to attend events here and also the tourism and other events it will bring to town,” he said.

Cr Dempsey said the placement of the aquatic centre had been strategically planned so that it was near the multiplex, the highway through town, the Tafe and Bundaberg State High School.

“It’s building to make sure that our young people have a future,” he said.

“It’s a magnificent contribution and one that will be folded out seven-fold for the benefit of the community.”

Cr Dempsey said the council had fully committed to the project and any funding provided by the state or federal governments to ease pressure on the region’s ratepayers was encouraged.

The Mayor said he would take even $1 from the Federal Government, but said he was awaiting the outcome of an application for a $5 million federal grant.

Cr Dempsey said the first stage of the project would see the employment of 126 people and pools in the ground.

The total cost of the centre will be more than $30 million.

Cr Dempsey said normally such funding would be split between multiple projects, but the council had committed to a large-scale project for the region.