By Tate Papworth
Brimbank council may not have received any of the government funding it wants to transform the St Albans Leisure Centre into a state-of-the-art health and wellbeing hub – but it’s insistent construction will begin next year.
The council has unveiled a master plan that requires the centre to close early next year with construction set to begin in June.
“The site master plan has confirmed that in order for us to build the Health and Wellbeing Hub, the entire footprint of the current
St Albans Leisure Centre will be needed,” mayor Lucinda Congreve said.
“Our plans are to close the doors to the old and tired St Albans Leisure Centre in April next year to make way for construction, which is expected to start in June, 2020 {subject to change}.”
A report tabled at the council’s December 2017 meeting slated construction to begin in April of this year and to be completed in December, 2020.
That report estimated the cost of the centre to be in excess of $50 million.
The cost has since ballooned out to more than $60 million.
The proposal has faced setbacks, with neither the state or federal government providing any funding towards the centre, despite heavy lobbying from the council.
In November last year, the state government knocked back the council’s application for a $3 million Better Pools Grant.
The plan suffered a further hit with last month’s shock federal election result.
Labor had promised $5 million towards the redevelopment if it formed government.
The council has allocated $17.5 million in its 2019-20 budget to the project.
Cr Congreve said other options would continue to be explored.
“We have been working closely with the state government to secure their support and are committed to continuing these efforts at state and federal levels,” she said.
“We’re also fully committed to continuing to look for opportunities to pursue additional investment through health and sport and recreation funding applications, as well as appropriate private sector opportunities.”
