Leichhardt Park Aquatic Centre: Inner West Council scraps diving facilities, sparks outrage from UNSW Whales Underwater Rugby Club, Diving NSW

A Sydney council has backflipped on a 20-year promise to see vital sporting infrastructure at a public pool saved, sparking outrage from local athletes. See their concerns.

DAILY TELEGRAPH 11TH SEPTEMBER 2023 Pictured with the ball at Leichhardt Park Aquatic Centre is Ben Maslen and members of the UNSW Whales underwater rugby team. Inner West Council has broken its promise to include a deep diving pool in its redevelopment of Leichhardt Pool. This broken commitment is terrible for the NSW diving community, and unique sports like underwater rugby as they need the 5 metre + depth to do their sports. Picture: Richard Dobson

A Sydney council has scrapped long-promised plans for vital water sport training facilities – with the decision outraging athletes and placing competitions in jeopardy.

Inner West Council has backflipped on a near 20-year promise to upgrade the diving platform and deep water pool at Leichhardt Park Aquatic Centre, shocking athletes from Diving NSW and UNSW Whales Underwater Rugby Club who rely on the facilities for training.

Diving NSW chief executive Gillian Brooker said the former Leichhardt Council had made promises to revitalise the structure and pools since 2005, before representatives received assurances again in 2015 and 2018.

Meanwhile, former UNSW Whales captain Ben Maslen said his team were given similar promises in 2020, when discussing plans with council staff.

DAILY TELEGRAPH 11TH SEPTEMBER 2023 Pictured with the ball at Leichhardt Park Aquatic Centre is Ben Maslen and members of the UNSW Whales underwater rugby team. Picture: Richard Dobson

The removal of the diving facilities, originally approved by Inner West councillors in June 2022, could see the extinction of local sporting groups, which rely on the pools due to “a massive shortage” of facilities across Sydney, according to Ms Brooker.

“There is an alarming scarcity of deep-water facilities, including the regrettable losses of dive pools at Ashfield, North Sydney, Ryde, Parramatta and Auburn,” Ms Brooker said.

“Repeatedly the Council made promises that when the facility would be redeveloped, a deep water pool would be included, but that promise has been ditched.”

She said competitors across Sydney were being forced to vy for training time at overcrowded facilities at Sydney Olympic Park.

Pictured at Leichhardt Park Aquatic Centre is Ben Maslen,. Picture: Richard Dobson

Mr Maslen ridiculed the council’s handling of the revitalisation of the pools.

“In September 2020 we spoke to the council on depth requirements,” he said. “Since then we were contacting council and were told in writing that (we) will be informed of any progress.

“(In June) the council voted on a decision to have the depth to 2.1 meters – which would lock us and diving out without any consultation or communication.”

The NSW diving community, and unique sports like underwater rugby will be hit by the removal of facilities. Picture: Richard Dobson

A council spokeswoman said the facilities were more than 60 years old, with reports to council suggesting the tower had “concrete cancer”.

“The Masterplan confirms that the upgrade will include replacing the 50m pool, replacing the Dive pool with a 25 metre new pool with a movable floor, and additional water play features.”

The spokeswoman said concerns relating to the depth of the pool was “under consideration”.