Swimmers fear stadium idea could delay $137.8m Civic pool

On top of that, a consortium led by Canberra Airport has put forward a concept for a 25,000-seat city stadium on a nearly identical site around Regatta Point, the Canberra Times says. Austadiums reported on 7 October that the concept would sit on Commonwealth land holding Archbishop’s House and adjoining car parking, beside Commonwealth Park.

Watson told the paper that the two governments have committed significant money and land to the Commonwealth Park facility and that the project is well underway. She added: “We would not want the stadium proposal to delay the progression of this replacement facility for the Civic pool.”

The numbers

• $137.8m: the federal and ACT Government funding for the Commonwealth Park aquatic facility, per the Canberra Times.
• 25,000: seats in the covered stadium concept. Austadiums reported the venue could hold up to 36,000 for concerts.
• 11 November: the Wednesday on which, according to the Canberra Times, ACT independent senator David Pocock has invited aquatic groups to Parliament House to raise concerns about the facility and any impact from a future stadium.

What’s next

Austadiums reported that the stadium is still only a concept, and that the land, planning approvals and funding are all unresolved. It also reported that Canberra Airport does not intend to own or operate a completed stadium, and that chief executive Stephen Byron told Region Canberra the government could have a realistic cost figure to weigh in four to six months.

The first checkpoint is Senator Pocock’s meeting on 11 November, where aquatic groups are expected to put their case. For earlier context on the debate, see our coverage of the Civic lakeside stadium plan and the stadium site and commercial debate.

This story relies on the Canberra Times article, which is partly paywalled, so only the portions we could read are reported here. The Australian Developer will update the story if the ACT Government or the stadium consortium responds.