Parramatta Pools’ official name revealed

Parramatta swimmers have been pining for a pool for five long hot summers. Now an official title for the $88 million facility has been unveiled. Take our poll and tell us what you think.

Parramatta Pools are due to open in 2023 and will adopt the official title of Parramatta Aquatic Centre, a decision that went against the wishes of the Aboriginal community.

On Monday night, Parramatta Council voted for the “simple and flexible description” above the other options — the colloquial Parramatta Pool or the dual name of Parramatta Pool-Barramada Badu Ngurra — which translates into “Parramatta, pool and home or camp of belonging” under the First Nations translation.

However, independent councillor Kellie Darley and Greens representative Phil Bradley favoured the Aboriginal name.

“I think it’s a really important option to recognise the proud and enduring history of our Burramattagal Dharug nation and the fact that Parramatta derives from the name Barramada … and that was a result of considerable amount of consultation Aboriginal custodial groups …,’’ Cr Green said.

He added that the Dharug name was important to the custodians of the land “which have been here for more than 30,000 years’’.

Cr Darley also backed the name that combined Parramatta Pool with the indigenous translation.

“I think to have the dual name acknowledges the significant history and contribution of our First Nations people but also reinforces the history of the pool, (which was) obviously sadly demolished a number of years ago,’’ she said.

Since the name options were revealed in May, the council decision was delivered swiftly compared with the painstaking back-and-forth process to christen the council’s civic building 5 Parramatta Square, which will be titled the polarising Phive.

The name was determined in October and pipped the equally quirky Prisma and conventional Civic.

Parramatta Aquatic Centre will feature a 50m outdoor pool and landscaped leisure area, 25m indoor pool, program pool, water play area, spa, steam and sauna, full-sized wellness centre, with gym floor and program rooms.

The grandstand will be named the Kevin Hession Stand, after the late member of the Parramatta Memorial Swimming Club.

The public facility will be called Parramatta Aquatic Centre.

The council will also pay tribute to the cherished Parramatta War Memorial Swimming Centre at O’Connell St, with the 50m pool to be called the Memorial Pool.

The original pools were bulldozed after 58 years in 2017 to make way for CommBank Stadium’s redevelopment.

Andrew Burges Architects, Grimshaw Architects and McGregor Coxall Landscape Architects have designed the pool, which will sit on the former golf course in the Mays Hill Precinct and is partly funded by the State Government and the council.

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