Future Geelong: City of Greater Geelong continues push to ditch swimming pool plan in favour of basketball stadium

The City of Greater Geelong is continuing its push for the state government to abandon its plan for an Armstrong Creek swimming pool that was promised as part of the now-canned Commonwealth Games.

City of Greater Geelong chief executive Ali Wastie makes her case for a new basketball and netball stadium. Picture: Alison Wynd.

Geelong council is continuing to lobby the state government for a basketball and netball stadium that it says will help the region cater for the ongoing growth of both sports.

City Hall chief executive Ali Wastie appeared before a Victorian upper house inquiry into the cancellation of the Commonwealth Games in Geelong on Tuesday, where she pressed the case for a regional indoor sports and events centre (RISEC) capable of holding 5000 spectators.

The push comes after the Geelong Advertiser detailed the dire shortage of facilities, particularly for community basketball.

The RISEC would replace plans for an Armstrong Creek swimming pool that was promised by the state government as part of its Commonwealth Games announcement.

Ms Wastie said more than 10,000 netballers and 8500 basketballers were registered in Geelong, with both numbers continuing to grow rapidly.

She said council’s planning data showed the proposed pool was not needed.

“As the second largest city in Victoria and Australia’s premier regional city, there is an essential piece of community infrastructure that is required to support the growth and development of high-level competition and elite-level sport, as well as attract major sporting events and teams to the region,” Ms Wastie said.

Mayor Trent Sullivan ruffled feathers at Spring St when he wrote to Premier Jacinta Allan in December to say the stadium, rather than the pool, should be the priority.

Ms Allan was Minister for Commonwealth Games Delivery before it was axed in July.

Ms Wastie said she was in “very strong negotiations” with the government over the infrastructure.

“It is true that the City of Greater Geelong and the state government have not always been fully aligned in the past,” she said.

“We have been up front that this region’s priority has been the securing the future-proofed RISEC over the new Armstrong Creek aquatic centre at this time.

“The city is working well with the state and is dedicated to ensuring the best community outcomes.”

Upon receiving Mr Sullivan’s letter, the government said it would continue to work with communities across the state to deliver new sporting facilities to regional towns, including thorough consultation with councils on their priorities.

“But we won’t run those consultations through the media,” a spokeswoman said.

Originally published as Future Geelong: City of Greater Geelong continues push to ditch swimming pool plan in favour of basketball stadium