Hervey Bay Aquatic Centre Master Plan

OTIUM Review 2017

Council commissioned a review of all Aquatic facilities in 2017, and one of the key recommendations identified was to develop a Master Plan for the Hervey Bay Aquatic Centre to plan for future growth and improvements for the facility and community.

The priorities identified from the 2017 report were:

• Upgrade outdoor leisure water with interactive play equipment
• Develop amenities and change areas to service possible gymnasium, warm water pools, 25 metre pool and entrance including considering new family and group change village
• New health and fitness area
• New entrance facilities
• Redesign of the café and merchandise areas
• Upgrading and expanding an indoor learn to swim pool and plant room
• Establish an indoor fully accessible warm water pool
• Develop high attractor indoor water play and leisure water opportunities

The Plan

The information gained as part of the 2017 Otium review has helped to shape the community engagement plan.  We will seek to confirm and/or improve on the findings and recommendations as well as identify any missing features that need to be considered in the master planning process. The final Master Plan will establish the future direction and priorities for the Hervey Bay Aquatic Centre for the next 40 years.

Master Planning (Process)

In 2019 Fraser Coast Regional Council (FCRC) engaged Cardno, Facility Design Group (FDG) and Xypher Sport and Leisure (Xypher) to undertake consultation with key stakeholders and prepare a master plan for the Hervey Bay Aquatic Centre (HBAC).

The project builds on a review of its aquatic centres in 2017. The ‘Aquatic Facilities Operational Review’ provides a long term strategy for FCRC’s aquatic facilities and includes specific recommendations for HBAC.

The current project seeks to advance this work by undertaking more targeted consultation in relation to HBAC and developing a master plan to guide the future development of the facility. The consultation component of this engagement includes two phases:

• Phase One
  • Stakeholder workshops
  • Community workshops
  • Community and user group survey
  • Meetings with operational staff and internal stakeholders
• Phase Two
  • Stakeholder sketch design review workshop
  • Meetings with Project Leadership Team and key internal stakeholders

Xypher’s specific role was to undertake stakeholder engagement with specific external and internal stakeholders and the broader community to ascertain the needs and wants to assist in the development of a viable master plan for the facility. This report details the results of this engagement to inform the master planning process.

2020 Consultation - Review of Draft Master Plan 

Between 15 September and 13 October 2020 Council undertook an engagement process for seeking the final comments on the design. The process involved online engagement through Council’s community engagement platform Engagement Hub, which included a survey and submissions – receiving 74 surveys and 12 submissions. Council also conducted a stakeholder session during the engagement period. Council had committed to 3 stakeholder sessions, however only enough registrations were received to hold one session.

The aim of the engagement for this project was to understand the community’s final comments and feedback regarding the draft master plan, including; what the community likes and doesn’t like; and anything that is important to the community that may be missing - from the draft design. Council also asked for further feedback regarding leisure activities as part of the engagement (for the future of the centre).

This report will be considered as part of the final design process for the Hervey Bay Aquatic Centre Master Plan.

Key Engagement Findings (2020)

Overall the findings show a high level of positive support and acceptance of the draft design from the community. Through the theming of the engagement the key features/ elements liked by the community were in relation to (but not limited to) the improved use and functionality of pools, the new warm water pool, improved amenities, water play infrastructure, improved entrance and kiosk/ café; additional shading and seating, improved accessibility, and improved recreation and leisure based infrastructure.

The community also identified key elements and features that were missing, needed modification or they didn’t like, including (but not limited to):

• 50m pool  - shade, wind barriers, further temperature control and location of timing shed
• 25m pool - extension/ more lanes – demand during peak times is a major issue
• New warm water pool – additional amenities, size and accessibility considerations
• Additional shade and seating infrastructure – e.g over the lagoon pool and general areas around the centre.
• Increase in number of pools for various uses – e.g diving and separate therapy and learn to swim pools
• Recreation and leisure based infrastructure –additional barbeques and consideration of spa/ sauna services
• Additional amenity infrastructure and functionality

It was also identified that the quality and quantity of water play infrastructure for the centre are important and valued highly within the community. Furthermore, there were several suggestions that possibly another 50m pool needs to be considered (in the Hervey Bay area) in the long term due to the growth of the community and impact of peak times on the current facility.

The majority of respondents had a high level of support for leisure activities and services at the centre, including (but not limited to) gym and fitness options, barbeques and social activity space and a ‘dry’ children’s playground.

It is also important to note the concerns for access and connectivity to the centre in relation to the Boundary Road extension.