PLANS for a proposed $10 million, 25-metre indoor pool at Lambton are moving forward with community consultation and a long-term lease.
The year-round aquatic facility, planned for Lambton Park War Memorial Swimming Centre, includes a toddler pool, a new gym, kiosk and change rooms.
City of Newcastle will start community engagement in August, while pool operator BlueFit will manage the daily operations of council's five inland pools under a new seven-year lease decided by council CEO Jeremy Bath.
The decision was delegated to the CEO after Labor councillors declared conflicts of interest in the matter, meaning a quorum of councillors could not be reached to vote on awarding a tender.
Under its management, BlueFit said swimmers could expect significantly lower entry fees than pools operated by other local councils, with Beresfield having its general admission fee further reduced to $2.90.
"BlueFit are committed to ensuring entry fees at Beresfield remain at the 2023-24 rates for the coming season in recognition of the lower median household incomes of suburbs in the Beresfield area," BlueFit CEO Todd McHardy said.
He said the company was delighted to strengthen its relationship with the Newcastle community.
"BlueFit began working with City of Newcastle in 2014, and since then Newcastle's swimming centres have consistently received high satisfaction ratings," he said.
City of Newcastle acting CEO David Clarke said the long-term lease provides certainty for the future operation of, and investment into, these "much-loved local publicly owned facilities".
"The lease with BlueFit will help facilitate the delivery of a year-round aquatic facility at Lambton Swimming Centre, which was a key community priority during consultation for our 20-year Inland Pools Strategy, unanimously adopted by council in May last year," he said,
"We look forward to involving the community in what the new year-round facility will look like."
During winter, work is being completed across all five of Newcastle's swimming centres, including safety upgrades, re-painting and maintenance of tiles and promenades.
Lambton pool is on track to reopen for the traditional early swimming season on August 17, while Stockton, Mayfield, Wallsend and Beresfield pools will remain closed until September.
Mr Clarke said City of Newcastle and BlueFit were gearing up for another busy season, following record visitor numbers in 2023-24.
"Last summer was the first season that BlueFit had managed all five of our pools and the community flocked to our facilities, with almost 450,000 people visiting during the season, the highest number since 1997," he said.
"We look forward to continuing to work together to meet the recreation needs of our growing population."
