Update - June 2023

Stage 1

Building works for stage 1 are nearing completion with a major project (filling the pool) milestone reached.

On Friday 23 June, Mayor Trent Sullivan and Member for Corangamite Libby Coker toured the stage 1 facility, as the pool reached sixty percent capacity of water. Member for Bellarine Alison Marchant also joined the tour.

The Pavilion building, a prominent component of the aquatic centre, is nearing completion with the installation of external cladding, screens, and final minor works underway. The changerooms have already been completed internally, with minor external works remaining on the building roof. The pool plant room and landscaping are ongoing and will be the final items to be finished.

Stage 2

At its meeting on Tuesday 22 November 2022, Councillors endorsed a deliberative engagement process to develop the plans for Stage 2 to the provided funding. Following this, community members were invited to apply for a position on the new North Bellarine Aquatic Centre (Stage 2) Community Advisory Panel.

The first meeting of the North Bellarine Aquatic Centre (Stage 2) Community Advisory Panel took place in early March 2023.

The make-up of the 12-person advisory panel represents a cross-section of the local community, featuring balanced interests, gender and diversity of backgrounds. Members are representatives from nearby schools and community/sporting clubs, as well as people with specialist swimming or aquatics expertise and with lived experience of disability.

City staff, members of the Advisory Panel along with aquatic consultants have been working through priorities and possible design options which consider warm water exercise, rehabilitation, learn to swim, access and inclusion.

The previous indicative designs the city engaged with, with cost escalations are not affordable and were estimated to be $55m.

It is expected that the preferred design will be put to council mid-2023.

Welcome

Construction on stage 1 of the North Bellarine Aquatic Centre began in May 2022 and is due for completion later in 2023.

Stage 1 is jointly funded by the Federal Government ($10 million) and the City of Greater Geelong ($5.5 million)

It will include an eight lane 50-metre outdoor heated pool, accessible and changing places change facilities, an entry pavilion, a kiosk, tiered covered seating, a landscaped community lawn area with umbrellas, more than 100 trees, and parking for 60 cars. The concept plans for the outdoor pool that were endorsed by Council in April 2021, allowed for the project to be delivered in stages, including a complementary indoor facility.

This followed an independent study in March 2020 that found communities such as Drysdale, Curlewis, Portarlington, St Leonards and Indented Head have lesser access to aquatic facilities than those elsewhere in Greater Geelong.

Delivering an aquatic facility for the North Bellarine has been a priority of the Bellarine Councillors since 2017 and the City funded the independent study.

Community feedback on the indicative plans for stage two was conducted over almost eight weeks from November 2021 to January 2022 and now the Engagement Summary Report is available.

We received more than 160 submissions, including seven submissions from local and aquatic groups representing hundreds of members and connections.

Stage 2 Planning

The City has received $20 million each in funding commitments from the Victorian and Australian governments to deliver Stage 2, and the facility will be delivered within this $40 million budget.

Stage 2 of the North Bellarine Aquatic Centre will feature indoor facilities to complement the 50-metre heated outdoor pool now under construction as part of the $15.5 million Stage 1.

Project Overview

Health and wellbeing benefits - stage 2 overview

The proposed indoor facilities in stage 2 feature a spa, sauna and steam room would particularly support the health and wellbeing of senior residents and people with disabilities. This service is not available at the indoor centre in Ocean Grove.

The gymnasium and group fitness rooms promote health and fitness while also generating income for the centre. Families with young children would be able to access indoor water play facilities locally rather than travelling 10km to the indoor centre in Ocean Grove.

The warm water exercise pool would set a regional standard for gentle exercise and rehabilitation, while a new learn to swim pool would be used by adults and children of all abilities

The café would provide a community socialising and gathering space for up to 30 people.

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK

This engagement closed on 4 January 2022.

We're inviting community feedback to help us shape the designs for the proposed stage 2 indoor aquatic and leisure centre.

The indicative plans we have developed are based on submissions made by the community to Council in April 2021 and further consultation with the North Bellarine Aquatic Centre Advocacy Group.

Complete the short survey below to tell us what you want to see in the proposed indoor aquatic and leisure centre.

Consultation opened on Thursday 11 November and closes at 5pm on Tuesday 4 January 2022 (extended from the 19 December 2021).

Previous community engagement:

• 2021 - 2020: Ongoing dialogue with the Northern Bellarine Aquatic Centre Advocacy Group
• 2020 Between July - August: we asked for community feedback on two proposed locations
• 2018: Community consultation undertaken in the development of the draft City of Greater Geelong Social Infrastructure Policy (2018) under the Our Community Places and Spaces Engagement process, and liaison with the Northern Bellarine Aquatic Centre Advocacy Group has provided insight into the level of demand for improved aquatic provision on the Bellarine Peninsula.