Sydney announces sustainable aquatic centre
Work on the City of Sydney’s highly anticipated new aquatic centre in Green Square – the largest to be built in Sydney in nearly 20 years – will soon get underway.
The City has signed a contract with Sydney-based construction company CPB Contractors for construction of the Gunyama Park Aquatic and Recreation Centre on Joynton Avenue in Zetland, with work expected to start in early 2018 and be complete by early 2020.
At the centre of the new aquatic centre will be a 50-metre heated outdoor pool set within a larger, irregular shaped pool inspired by the ocean pools at some of Sydney’s best-loved beaches.
The new complex will cater for the diverse and growing Green Square community and feature:
- a 25-metre indoor ‘program pool’ for swimming lessons
- an indoor heated leisure water area and hydrotherapy pool
- a crèche with indoor play areas
- a health and fitness centre
- a multipurpose synthetic sports field suitable for use by community sporting team
- sports field change rooms, public toilets and storage facilities
- new landscaping, lighting and a new public artwork by acclaimed Aboriginal artist Jonathan Jones.
Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the new pool was an important addition for Green Square, an area that will soon be home to more than 61,000 people.
“Green Square is one of the fastest growing precincts in Australia, and we’re doing everything we can to make sure it is a wonderful urban neighbourhood with the services and facilities its residents and workers need,” the Lord Mayor said.
“The Gunyama Park complex will be a terrific place for locals and visitors alike to exercise, relax and catch up with friends and family. The pool will have something for everyone, from serious swimmers looking to improve their lap times, to families wanting a safe place for their children to learn to swim or play.”
“I’m looking forward to seeing this exciting project take shape in the coming months and know the Green Square community will be pleased to see work begin on their new aquatic centre very soon.”
The aquatic centre has been designed by Andrew Burges Architects, whose ‘beach pool’ concept was chosen from more than 140 other entries in a design competition run by the City. The jury, made up of some of Australia’s leading architects, described the aquatic centre as a ‘world class, exciting new project’.
CPB Contractors Managing Director Juan Santamaria said they were pleased to be selected to build the new aquatic and recreation centre following an extensive competitive tender process.
“Our team has both the local and international expertise and project experience to deliver significant value for the City of Sydney,” he said.
“Our flexible, multipurpose design will ensure that Gunyama Park is able to host a variety of activities, welcome locals and visitors from across Sydney, and remain adaptable to the city’s future growth requirements and sustainability expectations.”
The construction of the Gunyama Park Aquatic and Recreation Centre will be completed in two stages, as the City does not currently own all portions of the land on which the complex is planned.
The full aquatic centre, multipurpose sports field and landscaped areas will be completed by early 2020, with an expanded sports field, playground and further landscaping to be completed as the remaining land becomes available.
The project will target a five-star design and as-built rating from the Green Building Council of Australia. A cogeneration scheme will heat the pools and supply electricity throughout the complex.
The Gunyama Park Aquatic and Recreation Centre sits within the 278-hectare Green Square development area, which includes the suburbs of Beaconsfield and Zetland, and parts of Rosebery, Alexandria and Waterloo.
The City is spending $540 million over the next 10 years on extensive infrastructure and streetscaping works throughout the area, as well as new community facilities that also include a library and plaza, creative centre, childcare centre and more than 15 parks and open spaces.
When fully developed, Green Square will accommodate close to 61,000 people living in 30,500 new homes, and provide around 21,000 permanent jobs.
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