Civic Pool has been showing its age for a while. Photo: The YMCA.
Working out the location of new sporting facilities in Canberra at the moment is akin to a game of chess.
No sooner is one site identified and seemingly locked in than along comes another plan that overrides the previous suggestion.
A case in point is the location of a replacement aquatic facility in Civic.
A plan to build an aquatic facility as part of the Acton development connecting the city to Lake Burley Griffin was put forward a number of years ago.
Then the need for a new pool was negated to some degree with the opening of the ANU pool, although this pool is only 25 metres long and has only six lanes.
ANU pool has some limitations. Photo: G Tsotsos.
The Civic Olympic Pool site has been on death row for a decade after being identified as a potential location for a new stadium.
For as long as I can remember, the Civic Olympic Pool has been in a constant state of repair and a new facility was seen as the only option.
It appeared all systems go for a new stadium to be built on the Civic pool site with another location sought for the aquatic centre.
In recent times, as we know, various impediments have been placed in the way of building a new stadium on the site, and the ACT Government now favours a redevelopment on the existing footprint at Bruce.
Meantime, uncertainty around the Civic Olympic Pool site continues and major repairs are required to keep it operational in its current form.
Enter stage left: Commonwealth Park. This is a potential location for the Civic Olympic Pool, which is being considered as part of a National Capital Authority review.
A couple of months ago, I suggested that Commonwealth Park should be considered as a potential location for the new stadium.
Is there room for both the pool and the stadium? I’m not sure, but it would certainly enhance the City to the Lake concept, with light rail providing transportation within easy walking distance. It makes sense.
Floriade might have to make room at Commonwealth Park . Photo: Michelle Kroll.
A new home would need to be found for Floriade. Weston Park has been floated as a potential location in the past.
Another question mark is the future of the diving facility on the Civic pool site.
Originally it was thought a diving facility would be part of the Stromlo Pool complex, but that didn’t eventuate.
My understanding is that it was deemed to be too costly.
As I said previously, attempting to figure out the future location of Canberra’s sporting facilities is akin to a game of chess. Let’s hope some certainty soon resolves the guessing game.
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