Community to have its say on redevelopment of Waves with consultation kicking off
Not sure about where to swim when the Waves Aquatic Centre redevelopment begins? Find out more this week with social and competitive swim group talks being held ahead of its temporary closure in 2020.
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Talks with social and competitive swim groups based at the soon-to-be-redeveloped Waves Aquatic Centre at Baulkham Hills will start this week.
The closure of the popular facility for a multimillion-dollar redevelopment is expected to take place on March 31, 2020.
As a result, clubs and schools across The Hills are scrambling to find new facilities during the two years the centre will be out of action.
The Hills Shire Council recently approved the tenders for the redevelopment of the centre, which has been hit with a series of malfunctioning systems including one which closed the Olympic-sized pool for several days during December.
To support swimming groups and schools, The Times listed all of the other public pools across northwest and western Sydney.
At just 10km away, The Blacktown Aquatic Centre at Stanhope Gardens is the closest facility to the centre.
Seniors aquatic class member Denise Hoffman said she will meet with council on Thursday, alongside other members.
“We want to know what they are planing to build, how long it will take and how they are going to accommodate the seniors, who are a very large group of people who have been using the complex for a number of years now,” Ms Hoffman said.
“I have suggested they buy a bus to take them to any alternative location — I just want to know that they’ve put in some measures for the seniors.”
Ms Hoffman said she was also concerned about seniors covering the cost of other memberships at different pools.
“How can they look after us? Did they have any plans for membership fees, transport, carparking?” she said.
“What plans have they made for all the kids who learn to swim there.
“Schools have so many carnivals there. What are they going to do?”
A council spokeswoman said it had consulted widely with user groups, “including the gym club members, swimming club, learn to swim groups, schools, scuba training, martial arts, casual swimmers and Waves operator, Belgravia Leisure”.
“The facility is more than 50 years old and Council is committed to providing quality recreational aquatic facilities that meet the needs and expectations of a growing community,” the spokeswoman said.
“The current facility no longer meets the needs of all user groups in regard to sustainability, accessibility, functionality and operational capacity. In order to meet those needs the existing facility needs to be rebuilt.”
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