ALBURY’S aquatics community is calling on council to re-ignite the stalled indoor pool project by making a bid for a slice of the NSW government’s $1.3 billion regional growth fund.
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Albury Swim Club president Phil Evans was at a recent seminar attended by NSW deputy premier and regional development minister John Barrilaro about potential projects and personally raised the possibility of the $50 million regional indoor aquatics centre at Lauren Jackson Sports Centre being eligible.
Mr Evans was heartened by the positive response, but concedes the biggest stumbling block is Albury Council’s recent decision to put the project on the back-burner and further investigate a joint venture with Wodonga.
“We always knew council wasn’t able to afford this on their own,” he said.
“But the feedback we always seem to get is negative.
“It's at a point where it is almost shovel ready and all we are after is for council to investigate the possibility.
“I was told they (NSW government) were interested in ready-to-go, big-ticket items we can hang our hat on.
“Further developing WAVES in Wodonga still doesn’t give us the indoor water we have been looking at for the last 15 years.”
Securing $20 million for the project would be a massive boost for Greg Aplin before the 2019 NSW election.
He said the swimming club could apply on its own, but the case would be stronger if council was involved as owner of the Lauren Jackson Sports Centre site.
“If projects could also leverage funding from the federal government and council then they would be able to entertain larger sums,” he said.
“I can’t direct council, but the money is there for major developments.”
Council is refusing to budge with further works at Lavington Sportsground identified for a funding bid.
“Stage three of the Lavington Sportsground redevelopment has been identified as the priority project to apply for,” mayor Kevin Mack said.