Shire of Irwin ATTACHMENTS – ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING 28 APRIL 2015 ATTACHMENTS TO COUNCIL ITEMS ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING 28 APRIL 2015 ATTACHMENT:CC04 Aquatic Facilities Feasibility Study SHIRE OF IRWIN AQUATIC FACILITIES FEASIBILITY STUDY FINAL REPORT SEPTEMBER 2014 CONTENTS 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................. 2 2 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 6 3 BACKGROUND ......................................................................................................................................... 7 4 DEMOGRAPHIC REVIEW .......................................................................................................................... 8 5 RELEVANT INDUSTRY TRENDS ............................................................................................................... 11 5.1 BENEFITS OF PUBLIC SWIMMING POOLS ....................................................................................................... 11 5.2 PARTICIPATION ........................................................................................................................................ 12 5.3 REGIONAL AQUATIC FACILITIES ................................................................................................................... 13 5.4 FACILITY DESIGN ...................................................................................................................................... 13 5.5 POOL HEATING ........................................................................................................................................ 15 5.6 WATER SAVING MEASURES........................................................................................................................ 15 5.7 STAFFING ............................................................................................................................................... 16 5.8 INDOOR AQUATIC CENTRES IN REGIONAL AREAS ............................................................................................ 16 5.9 SHARK BARRIERS ...................................................................................................................................... 17 5.10 MULTI-USE HYDROTHERAPY POOLS ............................................................................................................ 18 6 COMMUNITY CONSULTATION ............................................................................................................... 19 6.1 CONSULTATION KEY FINDINGS .................................................................................................................... 19 6.2 SURVEY RESULTS ...................................................................................................................................... 20 6.3 FEEDBACK FROM COMMUNITY DROP IN SESSIONS .......................................................................................... 25 6.4 PUBLIC SUBMISSIONS ................................................................................................................................ 25 7 COMPARATIVE REVIEW ......................................................................................................................... 27 7.1 PROVISION OF POOLS IN COASTAL LOCAL GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES ............................................................... 27 7.2 INDOOR LAP POOLS .................................................................................................................................. 28 7.3 MULTI-USE HYDROTHERAPY POOLS ............................................................................................................ 30 7.4 OUTDOOR POOLS ..................................................................................................................................... 31 7.5 OCEAN POOLS ......................................................................................................................................... 32 8 NEEDS ANALYSIS ................................................................................................................................... 35 8.1 IDENTIFIED NEEDS .................................................................................................................................... 35 8.2 FACILITY DEVELOPMENT OPTIONS ............................................................................................................... 36 9 COST ESTIMATES ................................................................................................................................... 41 10 POTENTIAL OPERATING BUDGETS ......................................................................................................... 43 10.1 OUTDOOR POOL OPERATING BUDGET .......................................................................................................... 43 10.2 MULTI-USE HYDROTHERAPY POOL OPERATING BUDGET ................................................................................. 45 10.3 OCEAN POOL OPERATING BUDGET .............................................................................................................. 47 11 OPENING HOURS AND FEES AND CHARGES ........................................................................................... 48 11.1 OUTDOOR POOL ...................................................................................................................................... 48 11.2 MULTI-USE HYDROTHERAPY POOL .............................................................................................................. 49 12 LIFE CYCLE COST ANALYSIS .................................................................................................................... 50 13 FUNDING AND GRANTS ......................................................................................................................... 51 14 RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................................................................ 54 15 APPENDICES .......................................................................................................................................... 55 1 Shire of Irwin Aquatic Facilities Feasibility Study 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The provision of an Aquatic Facility within the Shire of Irwin has been the subject of debate within the community for several decades. There has been a sustained local interest in the establishment of a “traditional” aquatic facility (i.e. chlorinated 25m or 50m lap pool) within a section of the community and an ocean pool has been mooted in the past and is indicatively featured in the recently developed Foreshore Master Plan. More recently an indoor heated pool such as a hydrotherapy pool has also featured highly in representations to Council, particularly from the aged community. This Aquatic Facilities Feasibility Study will enable the Shire of Irwin to take an integrated and co-ordinated approach to planning for meeting the current and future aquatic needs of the community. Four aquatic facility options have been the primary focus of this Study: . Traditional Outdoor Pool . Traditional Indoor Pool . Ocean Pool (in the form of a traditional pool with ocean water pumped in and out) . Hydrotherapy Pool 1.1 Needs Analysis Two clear needs have arisen from the research and consultation undertaken for this report. They are: A multi-use hydrotherapy pool to enable seniors and people with disabilities to be active, to aid peoples’ recovery from operations and injuries and to provide warm water program opportunities such as aquarobics and learn to swim classes for young children. A multi-purpose lap pool to enable children and adults to train and participate in organised swimming, and provide a protected, safe and more accessible option for swimming for those who are unable or unwilling to swim in the ocean. The need for a multi-use hydrotherapy pool is demonstrated through: . Increasing demand from an already significantly aged local population that is projected to continue to age. The strong support it received in the community survey and community consultation sessions, with the hydrotherapy pool being ranked as the most important facility that the Shire should provide. The ability of a multi-use hydrotherapy pool to be utilised for warm water programs such as aquarobics, mother and baby classes and learn to swim (LTS). The unique ability of a hydrotherapy pool to enable people with severe disabilities and the frail to freely move their limbs which they may otherwise find very difficult to do. (Very important for maintaining and improving their health and well being). The travel to Geraldton is difficult and costly for the frail and elderly and their use of the Geraldton hydrotherapy pool is therefore infrequent. 2 Shire of Irwin Aquatic Facilities Feasibility Study The need for a multi-purpose lap pool is demonstrated through: . Physical activity participation statistics reveal that swimming is the number one organised physical activity participated in by children and the third highest physical activity participated in by adults (behind walking and aerobics/fitness). A formal lap pool provides the opportunity for local children and adults to train and compete in club swimming and for carnivals to be hosted in the Shire. The strong support it received in the community survey and community consultation