Milestone for Parramatta Aquatic Centre
Parramatta’s new aquatic and leisure centre draws closer to completion with construction surpassing the halfway mark. Located on the traditional lands of the Burramattagal, an inland group of the Dharug people, the centre will feature a 10-lane, 50-metre outdoor pool encircled by a distinctive ring-form along with a 25-metre indoor pool, learn-to-swim facilities, cafe, and fitness, bicycle, and parking facilities.
Named ‘Parramatta Aquatic Centre’ at a recent Council meeting, the centre is rapidly taking shape with indoor and outdoor pool sites excavated and 562 new native trees planted across 30,000 square metres of landscape. Associate Director and Landscape Architecture Discipline Lead at McGregor Coxall’s Sydney Studio, Andy Langford, said:
“Parramatta Aquatic Centre will become City of Parramatta’s major community asset for health and wellbeing, a timely addition to Sydney’s geographical heart which is experiencing surging growth.“The pool itself is surrounded by the dense urban forest, which will play a major role in urban heat mitigation and serve as an open space asset unique to Western Sydney for generations to come.“We look forward to realising this transformational project for the people of Parramatta and beyond.”
Parramatta Aquatic Centre embodies an integrated approach to landscape, architecture and placemaking. McGregor Coxall’s landscape design celebrates the natural characteristics of heritage-listed Parramatta Park, embedding the ringed structure within its topography. A combination of quality outdoor space and recreational amenity define the immersive leisure experience. Native plantings, open lawns, and landscaped berms will complement active transport networks that link the centre with Parramatta CBD. Enhanced ecological values will also influence the site’s microclimate, maximising shade for play, seating and gathering spaces.
The design maximises the benefit of every drop of rain, adopting raingardens to define key entry points while creating shaded spaces that extend cooling benefits beyond the site’s bounds.
The $88.6 million centre was designed in collaboration with Grimshaw and Andrew Burges Architects, announced as the winner of an international design excellence competition for the project in 2018.The 50m outdoor pool – named the Memorial Pool in recognition of the former Parramatta War Memorial Swimming Centre – was also endorsed by Council. The community is now invited to vote for the names of the centre’s program rooms and outdoor areas. The suggested names feature Dharug language with many inspired by nature, such as Barra Ngurang (Eel Room).The next round of consultation runs from 13-27 July; community members can provide feedback by visiting Participate Parramatta.