Pool ‘ready by November’

•   Dorset Mayor Greg Howard, general manager Tim Watson and site manager for Fairbrother Tom Dare stay dry in the new Scottsdale pool.

By Tony Scott,
July 14, 2021

The redeveloped Scottsdale Aquatic Centre is expected to be open at normal swimming season start in early November this year.

The site is still a busy and jumbled construction zone but there’s confidence on Dorset Council that the revised deadline will be met despite some early setbacks.

A big marquee has been erected over the learn-to-swim pool to allow tiling to go ahead in any weather conditions.

The wet play area still takes some imagination to see how it will work with a series of slides and fountains and water features still be installed in a wide curved area, which will have a shallow covering of water.

The Council’s general manager, Tim Watson, is enthusiastic about that facility.

“People are going to be coming from all over the State to experience the wet play space.

“There’s nothing like it anywhere else,” he said.

The new 25-metre pool runs parallel to Coplestone Street, at right angles to the old one.

A new smaller learn-to-swim pool is roughly in the position of the old pool.

The main swimming pool will have starting blocks over eight wider lanes than previous with a ramp for disabled swimmers to access the water.

The $7million project had originally been intended to take place within nine months between seasons but delays before a start pushed that out to 12 months or 15 months and now it’s expected to be completed in 16 months, start to finish.

The total redevelopment was agreed by the Council after concern about the old pool leaking and its operation costs, particularly heating.