Cumberland carried out consultations with pool users and residents in December last year, to establish community priorities for both the Guildford and Wentworthville swim centres, including half a dozen workshops attended by more than 80 pool users, as well as a number of online submissions.
Under Cumberland Council’s ‘Swim Centre Modernisation’ program, the Wentworthville Swim Centre, which closed for winter as of last Sunday, will be revamped first with the pool remaining closed in October when it would normally reopen.
Work is due to start in September and will take approximately 15 months with the pool set to reopen in December 2020, in time for the 2020-2021 summer season.
Split over multiple years, the $8.95 million budget for Wentworthville, includes improved disability access, installation of a new six lane, 25m pool which is capable of being converted to an indoor pool in the future, installation of a new splash pad and upgrades to change rooms and kiosk facilities.
The Guildford Swim Centre will remain open throughout this winter and work on its refurbishment – which will also include a new splash pad and a new six lane, 25m pool with a ramp access – is not expected to be completed until May 2021.
In a survey held in conjunction with the council’s inaugural elections, residents voted overwhelmingly (75.41 per cent) in favour of continuing to operate and subsidise all five of its exisiting pools at Granville, Guildford, Wentworthville, Merrylands and Lidcombe.
