Burnside Swimming Centre Redevelopment

Council engaged with the local community regarding the redevelopment for the Burnside Swimming Centre and the majority of respondents supported the upgrade. During the engagement process the community made references to the natural atmosphere, the greenery, the park location and the outdoor environment with trees and open space.

Respondents were asked to consider the following three options for improvements to the George Bolton Swimming Centre Burnside and rate them from first to third preference:

Option 1 – essential infrastructure repairs.
Option 2 – with the focus on improving the swimming facilities and returning land currently used for recreation back to open space.
Option 3 – with its focus on improving both swimming and recreation facilities within the current swimming centre boundary.

There was no single option that was favoured; therefore the results of the engagement were used to develop a preferred ‘scope’ for the project. The ‘scope’ has been endorsed by Council following an additional round of community engagement, and is consistent with the majority of the findings throughout the community engagement process.

The approved scope represents a good balance between the requirements of the facility in terms of necessary improvements, and that of the overall wishes of the community.

Council sought specific advice on heritage issues in relation to the project, noting that Hazelwood Park is a State Heritage Place which is subject to the conditions and obligations in a Deed of Transfer from the Minister for National Pleasure Resorts, dated 2 January 1964.

Council also undertook significant engagement with Arborists before commencing the works.

The George Bolton Swimming Centre redevelopment includes the following:

• Refurbishment of the main building including painting, Disability Discrimination Act improvements, upgrade of external toilets and significant improvements to the kiosk area.
• New plant room buildings and filtration systems to ensure legislative compliance.
• New aquatic play space to replace the existing wading pool.
• Landscape improvements including improved BBQ area, increased seating, re-concrete central paths around pool, and general planting and improvement of grassed areas.

Works started in February 2014 and the George Bolton Swimming Centre Burnside will reopen to the public on Australia Day 2015.

Background

The City of Burnside has recently undertaken an infrastructure audit of the Burnside Swimming Centre to determine the current condition of the facility’s swimming pools and buildings.

The pool facility was constructed in 1966, with a major upgrade of the main entrance in 1996 and the replacement of the pipe work in 2005.  The remainder of the facility is original, approximately 45 years old and has had minimal work undertaken to maintain the centre over that time.

Council had identified necessary infrastructure upgrades to the facility and took the opportunity to engage with its community via a city-wide consultation, on the opportunity to enhance the Swimming Centre project further.

City Wide Consultation

Residents of Burnside Council area clearly enjoy the environment surrounding the current Swimming Centre and the feedback from the majority of residents is a strongly held belief that the green open space must be retained.

Overwhelmingly, the majority of respondents do not have any issues, dislikes or problems associated with Burnside Swimming Centre and support its retention.  Key issues included car parking, season length (open longer) and the facility needing an upgrade (with a particular emphasis on the kiosk).

In-principle support for Council giving consideration to undertaking additional improvements at the same time as essential infrastructure works was supported by 62 per cent of telephone survey respondents and 56 per cent of feedback-form respondents. This compares with between one in six telephone survey respondents and one in five feedback-form respondents (16 per cent and 22 per cent respectively) who said no, in principle, to Council considering additional work.

Summary of Proposal

As detailed above, the City of Burnside consulted with its community in regard to three redevelopment options for the Burnside Swimming Centre. These three options were designed to prompt community discussion and to provide Council with a better understanding of the required scope of the Swimming Centre Redevelopment.

There was no ‘one option’ that was favoured, therefore Council has used the results of this consultation to develop a preferred ‘scope’ for the project which is now available for Community Feedback.

The Proposal includes significant upgrades to the main building, aquatic operations and recreationa/ landscape improvements.

The detailed recommended improvements are provided in the draft Project Plan, however they include:

• Refurbishment to the main building including painting, DDA improvements, uprade of external toilets, and significant improvements to the kiosk area.
• New plant room buildings and filtration systems to ensure legislative compliance.
• New aquatic play space to replace the existing wading pool.
• Landscape improvements including improved BBQ area, increased seating, re-concrete central paths around pool, and general planting and improvement of lawned areas.

Council has identified that the optimum time to undertake the work would between February 2014 to late December 2014.  This would involve two shorter seasons, and while this is not ideal, it was considered preferential than closing a season in its entirety.

Cost Impacts to Council

The estimated total cost of the project is in the vicinity of $5.3 million

JAC Comrie Pty Ltd was engaged by the City of Burnside to provide a Prudential Report concerning Council’s proposal for the Burnside Swimming Centre Improvements project.

The Local Government Act, 1999 requires a Council to prepare and consider a prudential report before proceeding with projects of such value, therefore following this community consultation, Council will be presented with a final Prudential Review Report based on estimated costs in accordance with Council’s decision.

This prudential review has tested the reasonableness of the assumptions and analysis underpinning the proposal and found them to be appropriate. Council has the capacity to fund the project and can afford to do so even if adverse events happen in future.

The financial risk associated with the project is minor. It is manageable in the context of Council’s future projected financial position and performance.

Council’s current and projected future financial position and performance indicates it could accommodate the proposal without impact on its financial sustainability or future revenue-raising and/or service level decisions.