Call to include Sunbury’s aquatic centre in structure plan

A request to include Sunbury’s Aquatic and Leisure Centre in the city council’s 2023/24 leisure service and infrastructure plan is due to be tabled at the Hume City Council meeting Tuesday 13 June.

Cllr Jarrod Bell is to ask that a masterplan be created for the centre, saying it is often running at capacity. Cllr Bell states the facility needs to be “well-positioned to meet the needs of Sunbury’s growing community” which he says will increase to 100,000 people.

Sunbury councillor Jarrod Bell.
Cllr Jarrod Bell.

“Currently, there are no existing masterplans to guide the future vision for, and infrastructure needs, of the Sunbury Aquatic and Leisure Centre to meet this anticipated demand,” he says.

In a published agenda item, Cllr Bell states that the centre caters for communities beyond Sunbury such as Diggers Rest and Bulla “…necessitating the expansion and improvement of recreational facilities to cater to the increasing population”.

He states that the outdoor pool facilities are only available for part of the year, limiting the opportunity for the centre to expand.

However, the outdoor pool is currently being heated and is open while the centre’s main indoor pool is closed due to damaged water pipes. It is unclear how the pipes came to be damaged, or the cost of remedial work. SunburyLife is awaiting a response from council.