A $19.4m swimming pool precinct in Palmerston is set to open in December
Palmerston City Council will open its most expensive project to date - a $19.4m swim facility for all ages and abilities with free entry for years.
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A new free pool will open in Palmerston in time for the December school holidays.
The 30-year-old facility is currently under construction and will be revamped into a “swimming, wellness, event, leisure and lifestyle” precinct, known as SWELL.
Entry will be free until 2026.
Palmerston Mayor Athina Pascoe-Bell wants children to be able to go for a swim every day with their parents or grandparents, and for there to be no cost or accessibility issues.
Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said competitive swimmers would be able to swim in the 50m pool or the 25m training pool, and children would enjoy the water-obstacle play area catering to all ages.
A two-storey adventure playzone is set to be built with a mixture of water-based and physical challenges, a basketball half-court and three fully shaded pools.
“You’ve got to love a free, family-friendly day out,” Federal member Luke Gosling said.
“Awesome water play for the little ones as well as a high ropes course, where you can fire water cannons at your mates.”
The $19.4m state-of-the-art facility has received $7.5m in funding from the Territory government, $6.9m from the City of Palmerston and $5m from Building Better Regions, making it Palmerston’s largest and most expensive infrastructure project to date.
While construction of the precinct is still ongoing, the opening of the pool has been set for December 17, the first day of the school holidays.
“It’ll all be coming together in the next few weeks,” Ms Pascoe-Bell said.
Ms Fyles praised the contractors “working in this heat” to complete the project on time.
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