Parramatta’s temporary swimming spot still not finished a year after memorial pool shut
PARRAMATTA’S temporary pool at Macarthur Girls High School is still not finished despite being due to open to the public in October 2017 as an interim to the brand new $75 million aquatic centre.
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PARRAMATTA’S stopgap pool at Macarthur Girls High School is still not finished.
When Parramatta Memorial Pool closed in March 2017, Parramatta Council was able to negotiate with the school and Department of Education to use its pool for four years while the community waited for its brand new $75 million aquatic centre.
It was due to be open to the public for lap swimming and learn to swim in October but there’s been a delay in works at the ageing facility.
It’s blown out to June this year and a further three months of waiting for the learn to swim program.
Ironically, the school held its swimming carnival at Epping Aquatic Centre due to the works underway.
A council spokeswoman said they regret the delays and are working to ensure the facility “operates at the highest standards”.
“The pool is scheduled to be open for lap swimming by the end of June,” she said.
The council will provide an extended learn to swim program at the school pool starting at the beginning of September that will continue through to mid-December.
Council is spending almost $1 million to upgrade the school’s pool facilities. Epping Aquatic Centre is an alternative for Parramatta residents.
The new Parramatta aquatic centre slated to be built in Mays Hill has blown out with a new target of June 2020 and there’s still squabbling over who’ll pay for the $75 million creation. The State Government committed $30 million but at council’s February meeting, councillors agreed to go back to the government and ask for a further $10 million.
Parramatta Memorial Pool closed in March 2017 to make way for the $300 million Western Sydney Stadium.
Residents are still fuming over the decision a year on. Countless residents took to the Advertiser’s Facebook page to vent.
“It takes me 38 minutes to travel on public transport to Homebush Olympic Park pool. It is so overcrowded. Wentworthville pool is closed from April to October. I have a knee injury and physical health problems which makes low impact exercise like swimming very important to me,” one woman said.
While another said, “Worst decision ever. A stadium was already there, seriously what a joke. That pool was iconic”.
“It was a war memorial. Totally the wrong thing to do,” another said.
Another woman said keeping the new aquatic centre simple was the best approach.
“Apartments and high rises are being built over night. It doesn’t have to be a fancy aquatic centre. Yes that would be great but if no one has the money how about just building a bloody pool,” she said.