17 July 2020

Stromlo Leisure Centre ready to make a splash

| Ian Bushnell
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Stromlo Leisure Centre

Stromlo Leisure Centre boasts a number of pools, splash park and creche. Photos: YMCA NSW.

The $36 million Stromlo Leisure Centre will open on 15 August after the ACT Government announced today that construction is now complete.

The new state-of-the-art facility has been handed over to operator YMCA NSW, which will finalise preparations ahead of the opening.

With sweeping views across Canberra, the centre in Stromlo Forest Park will boast a 50-metre pool with moveable bulkhead, warm water program and learn to swim pool, leisure pool, toddlers pool, a splash park with a giant tipping bucket and slides, health club and creche.

The facility will serve more than 100,000 Canberrans in Weston Creek, Woden and the Molonglo Valley.

Minister for Sport and Recreation Yvette Berry said the centre would provide a welcoming destination for Canberrans looking for more ways to get active, relax and learn critical water safety skills.

“The Stromlo Leisure Centre offers the community another place for family and friends to come together and aquatic programs to keep Canberrans active and safe in the water,” Ms Berry said.

She said the centre was also an economic boost for the region as it would employ more than 80 people. More than 1,100 people were contracted for its construction.

The centre will complement other facilities in Stromlo Forest Park which already includes world-class mountain bike trails, criterium circuit, running track and equestrian trails.

Aerial view of Stromlo Forest Park

An aerial view of the spectacular site in Stromlo Forest Park.

Construction began in 2018 and is a key part of the Stromlo Forest Park Master Plan.

YMCA NSW CEO Susannah Le Bron said more than 1,300 people had already expressed interest in joining the Y at Stromlo and Foundation Memberships are on sale from today (17 July).

“We are counting down the days to our August 15 opening and cannot wait to share this truly awesome facility with the ACT community,” Ms Le Bron said.

“We know Canberrans are just as excited as us to get on top of their health and wellness goals against the beautiful backdrop of the Molonglo Valley.”

YMCA NSW won the right to manage the centre in March, bringing to four the number of aquatic centres it operates in the ACT.

The not-for-profit organisation already operates the Canberra Olympic Pool in the city, Lakeside Leisure Centre in Tuggeranong and the Gungahlin Leisure Centre in the north, and will be offering memberships across all four facilities.

YMCA NSW has been contracted to run the facility until 30 June 2022 in a deal worth $614,000.

Access to the site will be limited to members and casuals with bookings in line with COVID-19 restrictions.

The centre will open every day of the year (except Good Friday and Christmas Day), Monday to Friday from 5:30 am to 9:30 pm; Saturday from 7:00 am to 7:30 pm; and public holidays from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm.

For more information, visit Stromlo Leisure Centre.

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The children in Woden will be thrilled, another swimming pool for them to drive to.

I hope those arrogant swim squads don’t descend onto the place and monopolise all the lanes like they do at Tuggeranong and Civic.

Capital Retro12:32 pm 17 Jul 20

Will it survive the next bushfire?

Why would there be a bush fire there?

Capital Retro5:17 pm 18 Jul 20

Beacause JC it is in the path that bushfires from the north west take every 30 years or so but you knew that didn’t you.

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