The Lake Burley Griffin Guardians have backed the refurbishment of the Civic pool site. Photo: Ian Bushnell.
A heritage group has joined the fight against the proposed Commonwealth Park pool, saying that it contravenes principles of its Commonwealth heritage listing.
The Lake Burley Griffin Guardians also support the Friends of Olympic Pool’s argument that the new proposal was not a like-for-like proposition, with a diving pool ruled out and a gymnasium unlikely to be included in the project.
The current pool complex should be refurbished and another site found for the convention and entertainment centre proposed to replace it, they said.
The Guardians argue that a roofed aquatic centre on the 30,000 sqm of land will compromise the Park’s heritage listing.
“Commonwealth Park was listed in the Commonwealth Heritage List (CHL) as ‘significant open space’ in 2004 and included in the CHL in 2022 as part of ‘Lake Burley Griffin and Adjacent Lands’,” they said.
“It should stay as ‘open space’ in perpetuity.”
The Guardians said the proposed aquatic centre will be primarily an ACT facility and should not be located on Commonwealth land, where it will have major visual and physical impacts on the capital’s listed Commonwealth Heritage.
As a listed ‘attribute’ of the Parliament House Vista, the Park deserves a high level of Commonwealth protection, they said.
They added that the underground parking will be insufficient to replace the Regatta Point spaces and cater for the aquatic centre, whereas there is adequate parking at the current Canberra Olympic Pool complex.
The Civic complex itself is a critical part of the city’s recreational, and health and fitness architecture. It is on the Register of the National Estate (non-statutory) and the Australian Institute of Architects’ (ACT) Register of Significant Architecture.
“The complex should be refurbished (or reconstructed in part, if necessary) and retained in its current, highly accessible, position,” the Guardians said.
“There is no reason for the pool complex to be in Commonwealth Park.”
The Civic diving platform is the only one in town. Photo: File.
The Guardians saidthe omission of the popular dive pool, the only such facility in Canberra, and other fitness facilities is unacceptable.
“The ACT and Australian governments should stop depriving the community of key facilities and find an alternative site for the convention and entertainment complex.”
Friends of Canberra Olympic Pool Louise Watson said it was disappointing that the Commonwealth Park site seemed unsuitable, but the group remained committed to working with the government and open to discussing any options to secure new diving facilities.
But the first preference had always been to retain the current accessible Civic site.
“When we were offered a replacement pool nearby, we accepted that offer in good faith because we assumed that our existing facilities would be replicated and improved, so it’s a blow to find out the site is unsuitable,” Dr Watson said.
She was surprised by recent comments from Sport and Recreation Minister Yvette Berry that a diving pool would not be included in the project, given that during the recent consultation, they had been told nothing was off the table. However, they did say the site was challenging.
The recent tender for a contractor to design and build the new pool only said “commensurate amenity and functionality currently” provided at the existing Civic pool would be considered, but a diving facility was not being contemplated.
She said Canberra once boasted impressive aquatic facilities but is now being left behind by other capital cities, such as Adelaide, which built a new pool complex for $135 million. The Canberra proposal will cost $138 million.
“What Canberra really needs now is a competition-standard swimming facility,” Dr Watson said.
“None of the 50-metre pools are equipped with adequate seating, and all the other things that are specified by the Olympic Standards Committee that you need for aquatic competition, so we’re missing out on all the revenue from hosting aquatic competitions.”
Dr Watson said the group had sought meetings with the government.
