Glenorchy City Council set to lobby federal, state governments for pool redevelopment funding

In the lead-up to the federal election, the Glenorchy City Council has come up with a plan on how to get funding for a proposed $84m aquatic centre facility. Here’s how.

Glenorchy War Memorial Poll redevelopment concept designs for the new aquatic centre. Picture: Liminal Architecture

The Glenorchy City Council will begin lobbying the state and federal governments to help fund the $84m redevelopment of its beloved open air pool after local residents overwhelmingly voiced their desire for the project to go ahead.

Located between KGV Oval to the south-east and Humphreys Rivulet to the north-west, the Glenorchy War Memorial Pool was built in 1963 as a tribute to veterans in the community and soon became an iconic fixture of Hobart’s Northern Suburbs.

But in a move that dismayed many ratepayers, the 50m pool was closed last year due to numerous issues with its ageing facilities.

Glenorchy War Memorial Poll redevelopment concept designs for the new aquatic centre. Picture: Liminal Architecture

A business case – prepared by MI Global Partners – for a major new aquatic centre and health club at the Anfield St site projected that the development would cost $83.8m.

At its Monday meeting, councillors unanimously endorsed Glenorchy’s chief executive Tony McMullen to present the business case to the federal and state governments in a bid to secure grant funding for the project.

The council is likely to have greater bargaining power as it seeks support from Canberra over the coming months, with a federal election due to be held before May 17 next year.

The Glenorchy War Memorial Pool remains closed. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

The aquatic centre development would include an outdoor 50m pool, grandstand, change area, splashpad and slide, and picnic area, as well as indoor facilities such as a 25m lap pool, learn to swim pool, spa, sauna, and steam room, and a gym.

Glenorchy Mayor Sue Hickey said she was “very impressed” with the business case and saw the proposed aquatic centre as “an essential asset for the community”.

“We have a really good and compelling case to put this forward as a gamechanger for the health and wellbeing of our community,” she said.

Glenorchy Mayor Sue Hickey. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“I hand on heart give my commitment that I’ll do everything in my power to advocate to anybody who’ll listen to me to start pressing the flesh for this to proceed.”

An elector poll conducted this year showed that 93 per cent of locals would support the council applying for government funding for the redevelopment of the pool.

The state government has committed $5m to reopen the pool while a long-term plan is developed for the site.

The final business case also noted that the project carried significant risks and potential financial implications for the council, with a projected annual operating loss of $3.8m due to ongoing depreciation of the asset and yearly expenses tipped at $4.1m.

It estimated that the new facilities would deliver net economic benefits of $7.1m to the community and would have a cost-benefit ratio of 1.07.

Glenorchy War Memorial Poll redevelopment concept designs for the new aquatic centre. Picture: Liminal Architecture

Alderman Shane Alderton suggested that Glenorchy also lobby neighbouring councils to “share some of the costs” of the development.

“This has the potential to be a great regional asset for Southern Tasmania,” he said.

The council is aiming to commence construction of the facilities by August 2026.

MI Global Partners identified 11 “major” risks associated with the project and said six were considered “high” or “extreme”, including insufficient parking facilities and the fact the aquatic centre would be operating at a loss.

However, the business case said that “mitigation strategies and actions implemented by council” meant that these factors had a “residual” risk rating of “medium”.

Originally published as Glenorchy City Council set to lobby federal, state governments for pool redevelopment funding