WHAT'S NEXT

Join us on Saturday, 22 May 11am at the Greg Cruickshank Aquatic Centre for lunch as we share the new design for the previous water park and conceptualise it in the facility!

Please let us know in the section to the side if you plan on coming along so we can make sure we can cater for you.

After getting strong responses from our survey and community meeting Council has gone away and considered the communities feedback and finalised the new design for the GCAC Water Park facility finding a balance between community desire and Council's project parameters and we are excited to share it with you!

Check out the designs HERE!

Background Information

The Greg Cruickshank Aquatic Centre (GCAC) was inaugurated during 1972 as a six lane, fifty metre swimming pool, toddler pool and supporting amenities. In 2002, the facility underwent a re-development which saw the addition of a six lane, twenty-five metre indoor heated pool.

A significant refurbishment of the facility during 2011-2012 was undertaken in a joint initiative between Council, BHP and Anglo. The refurbishment saw wide ranging works including the installation of the water park as it is known today. Concurrent to the installation of the water park, the toddler pool was decommissioned and in-filled.

At the time of installation, the park was considered as being at the forefront of water park technologies and has provided pool users with eight seasons of ongoing operation. Water parks are prone to, among other things: chemical interactions, prevailing weather conditions, user interactions and extensive repetitive mechanical actions – each of these factors bears significant consequence on the maintenance and the useful life of the park. In addition, safety regulations include the installation of cushioned soft fall surfaces near to areas of the park where a risk of a fall from heights is present – these products are often adversely affected by: hot and cold weather extremes, wetness and dryness and the corresponding interaction with chemicals.

A series of maintenance interventions have been made at the GCAC water park. These have included, but are not limited to, general operating maintenance, refurbishment of stainless-steel surfaces and the replacement of the soft fall surface. Funding of $130,000 was set aside by Council to undertake a series of planned maintenance works during 2020-2021. A tender for the works failed to attract a response and it is understood that the asset condition, the nature of works required and an inability to warranty any works undertaken has significantly influenced the suppliers’ decision to refrain from bidding.

The statutory closure of the GCAC at the height of the Covid pandemic saw the onset of cracking in the soft fall surface. An initial maintenance intervention by the original installer and a second intervention failed to abate the cracking. A conservative estimate of the cost of surface replacement is in the vicinity of $200,000.00. The surface is subsequently unsafe and is incapable of cost-effective repair. Council has explored various alternatives to offer restricted operations however a safe, compliant and useful temporary service is not achievable.

Similar water park facilities have been installed throughout regional Queensland, and of particular relevance, is Gladstone. The Gladstone Council installed a similar water park to the GCAC during 2014 and they have also reported a deterioration of the park comparable to that of the GCAC. Gladstone is also seeking solutions for the repair and/or replacement of the water park.

The GCAC water park is now considered to have reached the end of its useful life and an alternate solution is under investigation. At this time, no identifiable cost benefit can be attached to the repair of the equipment and the soft fall.