CASH SPLASH: Tannum set for aquatic centre development

The Boyne Island and Tannum Sands region’s prayers for an aquatic facility took a giant leap to being answered today.

CASH SPLASH: The Gladstone Regional Counil voted unanimously to elect 900 Coronation Drive as the proposed site for the aquatic centre's development today.

The Gladstone Regional Council gave the green light for one of the region’s most prolific development projects to move to the concept phase today.

The Boyne Tannum Aquatic and Recreation Centre took centre stage during a general meeting, with council voting unanimously to elect 900 Coronation Drive as the development site.

In March 2018 Council resolved to develop a business case for an Aquatic Recreational Centre to service the Boyne Island Tannum Sands area subject to community consultation.

The Boyne Tannum Aquatic Centre Feasibility Study (December 2018) was adopted by council in January 2019 with significant community consultation undertaken from February to March 2019.

Preliminary estimates for the construction of the entire facility is $20,971,343, with stage one of the project estimated to cost $10,701,670.

Stage one development of the facility includes a ten lane 25m pool with disability access ramp, entry and kiosk, amenities and change facilities and carparking.

The completed project is set to be equipped with features like an eight lane 50m pool, a twin water slide, a shallow water splash park and an amenities and changeroom block.

Councillor Chris Trevor voiced his concerns regarding the preliminary costings of the project and its impact on rate payers in the Gladstone region.

“It will cost the Gladstone regional council rate payers $800,000 per year over approximately ten years, a contribution by them of $8m to fund this project in way of operational costs,” he said.

“I’m not sure where we are going to get that money yet, I accept we might get some state and federal funding in relation to the capital cost but I am worried about operational cost.

“How much is it going to cost per rate payer in this region to fund this facility? That is not included in the report and I would be anxious to know that.”

Councillor Goodluck agreed with Councillor Trevor and said it was important to look at the long-term costs associated with the project.

“However, it is also a project which is considered as the number one social infrastructure need for the Boyne Tannum community,” he said.

“It is a project which the Boyne, Tannum and surrounding areas have been calling out for decades, some thirty years.

The next phase of the project is for council to review and refine the preliminary master plan, specifically the strengths weaknesses of developing the facility at 900 Coronation Drive.