She said yesterday she had long favoured redeveloping the Albury Swim Centre as a major aquatics facility beside the Murray River.

“But you have to think outside the square, and it would be difficult to get a private company involved with the Albury Swim Centre,” she said.

Cr Gould said during the September election campaign that she would have an open mind on the aquatics issue, but a visit this month to Mildura Waves aquatic centre had convinced her private management was worth considering.

The council will consider the aquatic and stadium issue early next year.

Mildura Waves is managed by Belgravia Leisure for Mildura Council and consists of a 50 m outdoor pool, a diving pool, a 25 m x 25 m indoor heated lap pool, a wave pool, a toddler pool, spa, sauna, gymnasium, creche and a restaurant-kiosk.

“At Alexandra Park we have lots of land for a 51.2 m indoor heated pool, and the stadium also needs to be upgraded,’’ Cr Gould said.

“This could be an opportunity to do both as a joint venture with a private company, say by giving them a 30-year lease.’’

Cr Gould said the two facilities could share a restaurant-kiosk and might be able to use the same portable spectator seating.

She dismissed the renewed call by former mayor Stuart Baker, John Percy and John van Lint for a large aquatic centre on Gateway Island.

“That opportunity has passed, but in any case it would be too far from everywhere,’’ she said.

“Parents would not like their children cycling down from say Thurgoona to the Gateway Island.’’

The former Albury Council deferred the aquatics issue last December with councillors divided on how to proceed knowing that Wodonga Council was building a swim centre at White Box estate.

Cr Gould said that despite Wodonga Council not proceeding with a contract, it was clear that city was going ahead with its own centre.