Barr: stadium must shift east to share $137.8m pool site

According to the newspaper, Mr Barr added that with the pool proceeding as planned, a Commonwealth Park stadium would need to be nudged slightly eastward so the two avoid the same ground.

He summed up the position as a dual siting that is possible, provided one or both projects shift a little.

The numbers

Mr Barr said the ACT and federal governments, which are jointly funding it, are proceeding with Commonwealth Park’s planned $137.8 million aquatic centre, The Canberra Times reports.

Canberra Airport is behind the stadium idea, a 25,000-seat venue at Regatta Point in almost the same location, the paper says. Swimmers worry the pool would be put on the backburner as a result.

The aquatic centre is meant to replace the Canberra Olympic Pool “like for like”. When Greens leader Jo Clay asked about progress at the hearing, Mr Barr described that as a key element of the design, the newspaper reports.

What’s next

The Canberra Times reports Mr Barr said the aquatic centre remains on schedule to head to tender early next year, covering detailed design and delivery.

The reported comments do not settle how far either project would move, or which one would give way. The article as we could read it does not set out a revised footprint, a stadium timetable or a funding source for the stadium, so none is stated here.

For now, the Chief Minister’s position as reported is that the pool proceeds as planned and the stadium, if it goes ahead, adjusts its siting around it.