HOPPERS Crossing will become home to Victoria’s two biggest water slides after the council gave the green light to a multimillion-dollar redevelopment of the Wyndham Leisure and Events Centre.
Despite a shortfall of about $35 million, Wyndham Council last week voted to award ADCO Constructions the $45.4 million contract – Wyndham’s largest-ever capital works program.
The council has slated $29 million in the upcoming 2013-14 capital works budget, funded by rates, loans and external grants, to help plug the gap.
The centre will include a 1000-square-metre health club and a new aquatics precinct with a 50-metre pool. Other features will include a landscaped public piazza, multipurpose community rooms, increased capacity kindergarten, a cafe and expanded car park.
One councillor voted against awarding the contract, while another abstained, saying the costs were excessive and that the council’s money would be better spent on arterial roads or pools closer to Point Cook and Tarneit.
Cr Gautam Gupta said residents could face rates bill increases to cover massive repayments, in a project that would be “living beyond our means”.
“The project could inflict a rate rise over 3 per cent every year,” he said.
Cr Shane Bourke said the decision was “one of the most important nights in council’s history . . . the whole 150 years”.
“We here in this community have always had second best over the years, and I don’t agree that we can’t have the very best.”
The council has received about $5 million in external grants, including $2.6 million from the state government.
Sports Minister Hugh Delahunty said the existing centre was operating at capacity, with more than 550,00 visitors a year.
“Wyndham City is one of the fastest growing municipalities in Australia, boasting a community that is generally younger than metropolitan averages,” he said.
“This funding will help rejuvenate the centre, update the facilities and cater for further growth over the next decade.”
