Shire of Augusta-Margaret River aquatic centre upgrade comes down to the wire

The Shire of Augusta-Margaret River has warned of some uncertainty around the proposed completion of the refurbished and reroofed Margaret River Aquatic Centre. At the same time, the Shire was also yet to secure a commercial operator for the centre’s upgraded cafe. In March, the Times reported the $9 million project was on track for an October finish date, and later the Shire said an official reopening of the pool was expected in December. However, challenges around the final hurdles failed to diminish enthusiasm for the nearly complete project. “There are a huge number of moving parts with a complex refurbishment of this scale,” sport and community recreation manager Dylan Brown said. “While there have been some challenges along the way, we’re striving towards welcoming the community back into the centre as soon as possible. “We really appreciate everyone’s patience with the project and know people are missing the pool and other spaces. However, the wait will be worth it.” Online pundits have clamoured for the pool’s return, which will coincide with the Shire taking swimming lessons in-house. But the availability of tradespeople and needed sign-offs from regulators now made a specific opening date difficult to pin down. “We are excited to be moving into the final stages and seeing the project come to fruition,” Mr Brown said. “As you can imagine, we must ensure the facility complies with all required guidelines in terms of safety, efficiency, and environmental standards.” Interested cafe vendors could contact Shire waste and major projects manager Chris Yates at cyates@amrshire.wa.gov.au.