$24 million plan to add wave pool to Sydney Olympic Park
A multimillion-dollar wave pool will be drawing in the surfing crowds to Sydney Olympic Park, with the pool being built over an existing car park.
Parramatta
Don't miss out on the headlines from Parramatta . Followed categories will be added to My News.
Waves of people will be moving from the packed beaches of Sydney to the newest water destination in Sydney, just 25km away from the coast in Sydney Olympic Park.
The $24 million wave pool will be built over the current P5 car park near ANZ Stadium, which NSW Sports Minister Stuart Ayres said will rival the city’s beaches.
“Forget about Bondi or Manly, you can come straight here to Sydney Olympic Park and get the best waves you’ll find anywhere,” Mr Ayres said.
“Sydney Olympic Park is a thriving business, entertainment and sporting precinct.
“It’s already a hive of activity, from the skate parks to mountain cross; we can now throw surfing into the mix.”
Perth-based Wave Park Group has confirmed that it has been nominated as the preferred proponent over a 3.2ha site located at Sydney Olympic Park, with the wave pool being called Urbn Surf.
As well the lagoon, there will be a retail shop, cafe, indoor restaurant and alfresco bar, along with change rooms, rental area, and first aid and lifeguard rooms. There will also be a two-storey surf academy with teaching and training facilities.
The park will create artificial waves ranging between 1.7 and 0.6 metres high, allowing all levels of surfers to practice and enjoy their sport, without having to travel to the beach.
The surfing lagoon will feature Wavegarden wave generating technology which will deliver authentic surfing waves, offering high quality surfing experiences for beginners through to experts.
“The best part about the Wavegarden technology is that it can cater for everyone across a range of surfing abilities — from those just learning, right through to elite athletes and their high performance training needs,” Wave Park Group founder and executive chairman Andrew Ross said.
“Waves will range from up to 1.7m high, pitching waves, that are designed for the highest levels of performance surfing, down to 0.6m high, rolling white-water waves, which are ideal for beginner surfers.”
Up to 80 surfers will be able to tread the water at any one time, with the wave generator creating swell conditions perfect for beginners and experienced board riders.
“Waves will form cleanly and break with constant power and shape throughout the ride, which will be the equivalent to riding high-quality, ocean-based waves of similar sizes.
“Sydney’s 200,000 plus surfers will have another option available to them, day and night, year round, within a short distance of the Sydney CBD,” Mr Ross said.
Construction activities are likely to start in mid-2018, with the expectation that first riders will take to the waves at UrbnSurf Sydney in mid to late 2019.