Big Splash’s main pool was meant to reopen on 1 November, but the government believes that won’t happen. Photo: John Lomnicki.
The ACT Government will try to flush out a buyer for the Big Splash site after its recent failed sale and the realisation that the lessee won’t be able to reopen the site as required by 1 November, or any time over the summer.
The government will now commission, at taxpayers’ expense, an options study for the Macquarie site to provide information that may attract a buyer looking to set up a commercially viable operation, including an aquatic centre.
The year-long study will cover the practical costs of delivering various facilities, including slides, reopening pools and other amenities, as well as land value. It will analyse viable models for operating commercial aquatic facilities.
It will enable interested parties, including potential owner/operators, to come forward with ideas and plans about a future aquatic facility.
Planning and Sustainable Development Minister Chris Steel said the report would also give the community a voice in future plans for Big Splash and inform the government’s aquatic study that was underway.
He said the government’s preference remained for a private operator to acquire the site, ruling out, for now at least, calls for a government takeover.
The government also had to be mindful of the current commercial arrangements which preclude it from constructing and/or operating new swimming pools, sporting or leisure venues within 5 km of the CISAC pool in Belconnen.
Mr Steel would not elaborate but said Access Canberra, as the regulator acting on behalf of the Territory Planning Authority, may also be considering action against the lessee for not meeting the 1 November opening requirement and the lease conditions.
He said the option study could help the lessee, which is the mortgagee and therefore with no interest in operating a pool or any other enterprise on the site, find a buyer.
Planning Minister Chris Steel said it’s important to know the actual costs. Photo: Ian Bushnell.
Several other parties had expressed interest in the site, including the Canberra Southern Cross Club and the previous owners.
“It’s really important that as we consider the options for the future of Big Splash that we understand what the costs are,” he said.
“What are the costs of bringing the existing 50 metre pool back into operation? What are the costs of delivering new slide facilities, bringing back the amenities, and even delivering new facilities that weren’t provided there before?
“This report will give us those answers and enable, hopefully, the market and a potential operator to come in and run this as a successful and viable business, bringing it back as an aquatic facility.”
Mr Steel said interested parties could present their plans as part of the options analysis.
He committed to publishing the report so everyone could be clear about what was required to bring the site online as soon as possible.
But Mr Steel ruled out changing the site’s zoning from restricted access recreation zone PRZ2 to allow residential development.
“This is about looking at what’s possible within the current zoning,” he said.
“The range of different aquatic facilities that the community wants to see back on the site, looking at what the costs are of operating those and, potentially, delivering new facilities and what mix of facilities would make this commercially viable for an owner-operator to purchase the site and bring it back into operation.”
Asked about other possible recreational uses, Mr Steel said the community’s clear preference was for an aquatic centre.
The study will be funded from the City and Environment Directorate’s existing resources.
Asked if he was just throwing good money after bad, Mr Steel said the community wanted to have its say on the site’s future, and the government would provide that opportunity through this consultancy.
The expression of interest sales process run by Colliers concluded on 22 July without an outcome. The site attracted a lot of interest, but its “complexity” was an issue.
Canberra Liberals Member for Ginninderra Peter Cain said Mr Steel should examine all the possible ways Big Splash could reopen, including withdrawing the lease, but another report was not the way.
“Three weeks ago he told me that it should reopen by 1 November. Now he is commissioning another report. That is not enforcement. That is kicking the can down the road,” Mr Cain said.
“If he knew it could not reopen when he wrote to me on 25 August, he gave Belconnen false hope. If he didn’t, what was his guarantee worth?
“Enough reports. Enough threats. Take the lease back and secure Big Splash for Belconnen.”
Comment was sought from Save Big Splash.
