This week has seen the first sod turned at the Mount Gambier Aquatic Centre, marking the official commencement of the $39.1 million Mount Gambier Community and Recreation Hub project.
Dignitaries attended a sod turning ceremony on the site on Monday (30th April), following a $15 million capital Australian Government funding agreement for the project under the Regional Growth Fund (RGF) formalised on 1st April 2019 and $10 million from the South Australian Government Regional Growth Fund confirmed on 18th April 2019.
Advising that the commencement of construction was an historic occasion for the area, City of Mount Gambier Mayor Lynette Martin stated “i recognises the hard work and support shown by many stakeholders to get to this point including the present and former Council, staff, the Federal Member for Barker Tony Pasin and the Community Reference Group.”
The Australian Government funding was conditional on majority community support for the project, as indicated by the elector survey undertaken in late 2018 which returned an overwhelming 71.6% ‘yes’ response to move ahead with the project from a total of 8,722 survey returns.
Mayor Martin added “the work continues from here behind the scenes to deliver the largest infrastructure project Council has ever undertaken to our community by the end of 2021.”
In consultation with Council, Architects DesignInc and Co-Op Studio have provided a preliminary project plan outlining timelines for the next stage of the project with Mayor Martin concluding “Council is working with the design team to establish the draft implementation plan as a work in progress which will be further refined as we move forward.”
“You won’t physically see works happening on site for a few months, but there is a lot going on in the background including development approvals, the commencement of soil and water testing and the timber feasibility study.”
Full construction work is expected to begin on site as of 30th June 2019.
For further information about the project go to www.haveyoursaymountgambier.sa.gov.au/CaRH
Images: Artist’s impression of the aquatic (top) and entertainment space (middle) at the Mount Gambier Community and Recreation Hub, and (below, from left) Member for Mount Gambier Troy Bell, City of Mount Gambier Mayor Lynette Martin and Member for Barker Tony Pasin break ground at the sod turning ceremony at the Mount Gambier Aquatic Centre on Monday.
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