Willoughby Leisure Centre Upgrade

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Construction work is now underway to upgrade the Willoughby Leisure Centre to create a modern, best in breed new aquatic and recreation facility.

During this upgrade, which will run until 2025, the centre's:
- School holiday program and gym will continue to operate
- Indoor courts will predominantly remain open, but may need to close for some period during construction; and
- Pool hall and creche will remain closed

This page has been created to let people know about the improvements, along with news on any impacts on key users during the construction process.

Construction work is now underway to upgrade the Willoughby Leisure Centre to create a modern, best in breed new aquatic and recreation facility.

During this upgrade, which will run until 2025, the centre's:
- School holiday program and gym will continue to operate
- Indoor courts will predominantly remain open, but may need to close for some period during construction; and
- Pool hall and creche will remain closed

This page has been created to let people know about the improvements, along with news on any impacts on key users during the construction process.

  • February Update

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    During February an exciting milestone was reached with the pouring of the slab for the plant room. Work has now begun on constructing the structural wall that will separate the plant room from the 25m pool and program pool at the lower ground floor level. About two thirds of the site now has a concrete capping layer, an important element of the asbestos management of the site. Installing this capping layer has enabled site contractors to work on those parts of the site in a much more efficient manner. Bulk and detailed excavation is underway on the Learn to Swim and Leisure pools, in the Small Street end of the site and around the perimeter retaining walls on the Flat Rock Gully Road side of the site.

  • Timelapse Video - September 2023 - January 2024

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  • January Update

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    After a break over Christmas and New Year, work has resumed on the construction site. The construction of the 25-meter pool is ongoing, with holding tanks installed in the foundations. The plant room, which houses the equipment to run the pool, is now beginning to take shape. The installation of concrete beams on the eastern side of the site has been completed, along with concrete frame supports for the southern platform. This marks an important step before the construction of the building commences.

  • December Update

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    During December, the capping beam for the retaining wall progressed and is now two-thirds complete. In addition, the sewer trenching on the lower ground floor was installed. Excavation is now underway for the 25m pool. Work has been progressing on the lower plantroom, which has been covered in orange geo-tech fabric for the shutdown period.

    The construction site will be shut down over the Christmas break. Work will re-start on 8 January. Dust mitigation measures will continue over the shutdown, with ground sprinklers/mister hoses running every two hours.

  • December Update

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    Site interruptions have pushed back the Willoughby Leisure Centre Pool hall upgrade. A revised timeline will be presented to the community in February 2024. We understand this news is disappointing for members, guests and residents.

    The health club, group fitness and sports hall will continue to operate and our team members look forward to welcoming you at your next visit.

    For more information refer to the frequently asked questions and copy of the December Council report on the right-hand side of this page.

    We value your ongoing support.

  • November Update

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    November Update.

    The installation of the crane at the construction site represents a pivotal milestone in the project's progression. This prominent addition to the skyline presents a visual milestone for the project.

    Since the crane's installation, construction activities have been ongoing on the site.

    On the southern section, excavation and concrete pouring for the backwash tanks has been successful, signifying the initiation of the infrastructure for the twenty-five-metre pool.

    Simultaneously, on the eastern side of the site, piles for the retaining wall are now complete. An additional 44 piles were needed for the retaining wall, and these increased from 450 -750mm in width. This was in addition to the extra 279 piles needed for the pool structure.

    We continue to implement the asbestos management plan for the site. We anticipate having to remove 4,400 tonnes of excavated material off site - 50% of this volume has already been removed.

  • October Update: Tower Crane Installation

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    Willoughby Leisure Centre is excited to share the latest developments of the construction site. On Monday 23 October 2023, Belmadar will begin installing a tower crane at the site. The Mobile Crane, which will handle the installation, will arrive at 6:45 am, with work starting at 7 am. Please expect minor traffic disruptions due to the crane's installation.

    Traffic Control Plan:

    A Traffic Control Plan (TCP) has been prepared for these works to ensure safety and minimise disruptions.

    You can find detailed information about the TCP in the below map.

    For any further questions regarding these works, please contact Belinda McMahon, Senior Project Manager from Belmadar, on 0458 144 440


  • September Update - Pool foundation piling completed

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    The construction of the pool foundation piling is complete. Due to the Willoughby Leisure Centre's location on a former landfill site, it was always envisaged that this stage of the project would be complex.

    The removal of contaminated soil commenced in July 2023 and will continue until the end of the year. This process is being managed by a licensed asbestos removal contractor in accordance with the Asbestos Management Plan (AMP). The disposal of this soil strictly adheres to environmental regulations at a licensed asbestos waste facility. You can find more details in the Asbestos Management Plan (AMP), available in the Supporting Documents section on this page.

    Please take a moment to watch the latest time lapse video showing the site works undertaken since June 2023. We will now transition to the next phase, which involves constructing the substructure and pouring the concrete slabs.

    Piling construction Time-lapse Video

  • July Update - Stormwater works completed on Small Street

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    As part of the upgrades to Willoughby Leisure Centre, stormwater works were undertaken at the eastern end of Small St.

    The works were completed on Friday the 21st of July. The road is now open as normal.

  • June Update - Demolition Timelapse Video

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Page last updated: 19 Mar 2024, 10:00 AM