Oatlands’ $10m pool close to opening

AFTER 20 years of planning, the historic township of Oatlands’ new $10m aquatic centre should be open for a spring splash.

Southern Midlands Council general manager Tim Kirkwood said after unavoidable delays the new aquatic centre would most likely open in mid to late September. He said it had been due to open in March.

“We’ve had delays because of Covid, the flu, access to building materials and the availability of subcontractors,” Mr Kirkwood said.

Oatlands Aquatic Centre pool co-ordinator Adam Briggs said the builders should hopefully be able to hand over the site to staff in late August.

“There will be a week of us coming in, setting up what we need to,” Mr Briggs said.

“And hopefully by the second week of September, we’re up and running.”

He said he had started hiring staff, such as pool attendant and fitness instructor Sophie Smith, as the opening approached.

Ms Smith added that it was “awesome” to see the centre so close to completion.

“It’s pretty good to see it all tiled now and to see it all coming together,” Ms Smith said.

Southern Midlands Council Mayor Alex Green said the aquatic centre would be well used.

“It has probably been in the planning stages for in excess of 20 years,” Mr Green said. “It is an indoor facility that will be open all-yearround – seven days per week.”

Mr Green said the new centre included a 25m x 12m six-lane pool, a 12m x 5m indoor children’s pool, a community dry activities room and “all the associated ancillary infrastructure”.

“The new aquatic centre replaces an existing outdoor pool that was only open four months of the year,” he said.

“The community has demonstrated strong community support during the planning and design phases.”

Mr Green said the new centre would offer “enhanced opportunities” for essential learn-to-swim programs and would be a key recreational facility.

He said the total capital cost of the centre in the town’s Main St was $9.38m.

The site was once a council depot but the buildings were demolished in 2018 and the site was remediated and decontaminated.

Oatlands has a population of about 6200, including about 2400 ratepayers.

It is hailed as having Australia’s largest collection of sandstone Georgian buildings.