First look at new Miami Aquatic Centre
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The $18 million redevelopment of the Miami Aquatic Centre is on track, with Mayor Tom Tate and swimming champion Giaan Rooney inspecting works at the facility together today.
The shell of the new 50 metre Olympic pool is nearing completion, the new learn to swim pool is complete, and the new administration building and car park are under construction.
“Miami is the city’s second most popular pool, attracting over 350,000 patrons each year, but the centre has remained largely unchanged since it was built in the 1970s,” said Mayor Tate.
“This redevelopment will create a more contemporary facility which will continue to serve all ages in the community as well as, we hope, breed future champions like Giaan.”
Ms Rooney said she had fond memories of Miami from her squad training days, which began there in the early 1990s and prepared her for the 1998 and 2002 Commonwealth Games, as well as the 2000 Olympics.
“It is safe to say that training at Miami has changed the course of my life in more ways than one,” she said.
“I will never forget the hard work that was done there, and the lessons I learnt about myself during those gruelling training sessions or the feeling of dread in the early days before the new 50 metre pool was built when I would show up at 5am and there was no steam coming off the pool as the heaters had frozen over - that taught me I had a strength I never knew I had!
“I can’t wait to see the finished centre, as it will provide state of the art training facilities for the next generation of swimming champions Miami has always produced, as well as a much-needed community hub that will benefit locals from all walks of life.”
Mayor Tate said the centre’s reputation for breeding champion swimmers like Giaan, Grant Hackett, Karla Gilbert and Andrew Baildon made it a well-loved community facility.
“We look forward to seeing the finished centre opening early next year,” he said.
The project employed 700 workers. The 50 metre pool required 420 cubic metres of concrete and will hold 2,371,000 litres of water, which will take five days to fill.