Eddison Park a leading option for new 50-metre pool for Woden

Advocates for Phillip’s 50-metre outdoor pool are already looking at where else in Woden such a facility might be able to go, and there are several promising locations.

Since Geocon announced plans to build two 13-storey residential towers on the site of the Philip Swimming and Ice-Skating Centre, independent Member for Murrumbidgee Fiona Carrick has doubled down on her fight to save the current 50m outdoor pool.

Development application documents include plans for a new public aquatic centre on the ground floor – with a 25m, eight-lane indoor lap pool as its centrepiece – but Ms Carrick argues this is nowhere near big enough to cater to Woden’s growing catchment area.

In December, she unanimously passed a motion in the ACT Legislative Assembly, calling for the government to explain the planning rationale behind the smaller pool, followed by a petition to “Save Phillip Pool”.

“The following residents of the ACT draw the attention of the Assembly [to the fact] there are gaps in the provision of social infrastructure in the Woden Town Centre, including a 50-metre pool and associated green spaces,” the online petition on the ACT Legislative Assembly website reads.

“Local recreation facilities are needed to connect people and facilitate the community’s physical and mental health.”

So far, the petition has racked up more than 600 signatures, past the 500 a petition needs to be referred to a government committee inquiry for consideration.

A spokesperson told Region the ACT Government is “currently preparing its response to the recent motion” and will provide it early next month.

But even in the case the 50 m pool is a goner for the site, Ms Carrick is readying other plans.

The government’s response will include a list of other “suitable sites” within Woden for a replacement 50m pool, and the online petition also asks the government to “retain and upgrade” the existing Phillip Swimming & Ice Skating Centre until this can be built.

Ms Carrick says options include near the corner of Athllon and Hindmarsh drives, or near where the old Woden Valley High School once stood, now part of a staff carpark for the Canberra Hospital on the corner of Albermarle and Ainsworth streets.

But the leading option is Eddison Park – in particular the large green stretch between the athletic track and Justinian Street (which doubles as the entrance to the Woden Cemetery), along Yamba Drive.

“We want to be careful about the use of Eddison Park – because we don’t want to chew up any more of our green area – but this location would really work to activate and cultivate the area,” she says.

Ideally, she’d like the pool to be part of a “health, education and sports precinct” that would also include a hydrotherapy pool, gym and cafe – all within walking distance of the Woden bus interchange and accessible by a shuttle service between the town centre and the hospital.

“Every town centre needs a leisure centre, indoor sports stadium and arts centre, and most of the ACT’s town centres have them, but we have nothing,” she says.

“And Woden’s town centre is also Weston Creek’s town centre.”

Ms Carrick says there’s clear demand for a 50m pool based on the fact “25 metres is only suitable for swimming lessons and some lap swimmers”, and the closest 50m pool is at Stromlo Leisure Centre and poorly connected to public transport.

“If we lose this battle, we still need the government to do some proper town planning in the Woden town centre that looks at housing, commercial areas, public spaces and these sorts of community facilities,” she says.