Westmead super school plan shelved, calls to reopen Parramatta Marist pool

Parents at a Catholic school have called for their swimming pool to open to the public in the wake of a suspended $120 million redevelopment.

Joanne Vella

@Parramatta_News

2 min read

March 11, 2021 - 11:00AM

Parramatta Advertiser

Parramatta

Don't miss out on the headlines from Parramatta . Followed categories will be added to My News.

Calls have been made for the swimming pool shared by Parramatta Marist and Catherine McAuley High schools at Westmead to be open to the public and provide a place for the community to cool down.

Parramatta Marist parent Peter Boutros said instead of enduring at least two more summers without a pool while the Parramatta Aquatic Centre was under construction, the empty facility at the Darcy Rd schools could open to the public on weekends and school holidays.

“There’s an asset up there,’’ Mr Boutros said.

“There’s not going to be a pool in Parramatta to the end of 2023.

Peter Boutros his son John at the empty swimming pool. Picture: John Fotiadis

“There’s no reason why the asset can’t be used for the school and the wider community.’’

He said reopening the pool, which was shut in 2015, would save students travelling to Granville for swimming carnivals.

Parramatta Lord Mayor Bob Dwyer also welcomed the “fantastic idea’’ to cater for university students and Westmead’s booming population.

“I would love the opportunity for that pool to be reopened and I would encourage it as much as possible,’’ he said.

“We need more pools, particularly with the migrant community and a lot of people need to learn to swim.’’

The suggestion has come after the Parramatta Catholic Diocese put the $80 million redevelopment of the school, called the Westmead Catholic Community Education Campus on hold for a year, after coronavirus financial constraints.

Parramatta Aquatic and Leisure Centre won’t open until 2023.

Under the project, the student population, which includes Marist, McAuley and Mother Teresa Primary School, would explode from 2700 to 6000 students. Sacred Heart Primary School at Ralph St, Westmead, will also merge with Mother Teresa to form a 1680-pupil primary school.

The proposal would include an early learning centre for 200 children, a 400-seat church.

The diocese put the project — which is still subject to state government approval — on hold late last year while it assessed financial impacts of the pandemic.

The diocese has received

more than 3000 requests for financial assistance with school fees since the pandemic onset.

How the controversial project could look.

The change of course has prompted Mr Boutros to suggest using the funds to reopen the pool.

But the diocese poured cold water on the idea, saying it would cost between $2 million and $3 million to repair the pool.

“As the Westmead Catholic Community project was placed on hold for one year only, it would not be financially responsible to reallocate funds,’’ a spokeswoman said.

“The timely provision of a public swimming pool for the Parramatta area is a matter for the NSW Government and City of Parramatta Council.

“The majority of schools in our local communities hold their swimming carnivals at public pools. Student transport to these occasional events is easily managed by schools, often through charter bus services.’’

As well as Parramatta pools being shut, Wentworthville has been closed for two seasons but will reopen late this month following an $8.9 million upgrade.

Parramatta Light Rail: New images of $2.4b network plan revealed

Sicilian Restaurant Parramatta closes on Church St