Alternative sites considered for pool

The Shire of Ashburton gave approval at its council meeting earlier this month to undertake a more detailed assessment into the viability of constructing Onslow's new aquatic facility on McRae Avenue.

The local demand for such a facility has been evident for some time, with the lack of recreational facilities in Onslow being highlighted as a concern for residents who took part in community consultation in 2011.

Shire of Ashburton president Kerry White said the council had given prior endorsement to the proposed construction of an aquatic facility in 2010, as outlined in the Onslow Sporting Precinct Master Plan.

"At the time, we were looking into building an aquatic facility at a site between the multi-purpose centre and existing basketball courts," she said.

When Chevron finalised a State Development Agreement for the Wheatstone Project in 2011, the agreement mandated investment in social infrastructure improvements which saw $7 million allocated to an Onslow Aquatic and Recreational Centre.

Ms White said Shire officers had worked closely with Chevron and the Department of State Development to progress the aquatic centre project and investigate the appropriateness of the site initially identified in the master plan.

She said it appeared when initially selecting the site, key constraints which may have an impact on the cost of site preparation, such as the availability of services, earthwork requirements and access appear not to have been considered and this may reduce the budget available for construction of the facilities.

Alternative locations have now been investigated, taking into consideration proximity to other facilities, earthwork requirements, accessibility and other constraints.

Ms White said the site on McRae Avenue offered the greatest benefits to the delivery of the project and the Onslow community.

"It is adjacent to the primary school, with students identified as a main user group of the facility," she said. "Plus there are minimal design restraints."

A detailed business case will now be compiled to help determine the facility's final design, management and financial viability.