Locals are flocking to new waterslides in Leeton, but what happened to the water attractions promised for Wagga in 2019? Photo: Supplied.
Wagga Wagga City Council says there is no timeframe on when it will build new water attractions it first promised in 2019, as locals complain about having to travel hours to entertain children during the recent heatwave.
Six years ago, the local government body announced plans to develop a regional sports hub in town under its Bolton Park Masterplan, including upgrading the Oasis Regional Aquatic Centre to incorporate a splash park and waterslides.
Region asked for an update on these plans.
“Council is currently delivering the first stage of the masterplan, which includes the redevelopment of the Jim Elphick Tennis Centre, expected to be completed in April 2025,” a council spokesperson said.
“There is no current timeframe for when these additional elements [such as the water attractions] will be delivered, as they are subject to grant funding.
“These projects would be completed through a design and construction tender once grant funding is received. Consultation during the design phase would determine the features and final design.”
Loading ...Meanwhile, parents and caregivers have expressed frustration over the lack of facilities to keep children cool and entertained during the summer break.
“Mostly, we’ve just been at home all holidays because there’s not much to do,” mum Chelsea Hol said.
“We do go to the Oasis, and the kids love it.
“But the river isn’t very safe for watching the kids all the time, and I think Wagga would benefit from a splash park.”
Ms Hol’s young son, Theo Bliss, said he would like to see a water park in Wagga where he could “splash around” in the summer.
Businessman Gaurav Banga said he resorted to travelling nearly three hours to take his niece and nephews to Bright Splash Park in Victoria to keep them entertained during the heatwave.
“They’ve got a really nice water park with waterslides and everything for the kids,” Mr Banga said.
“And it’s free. Usually, for water parks, you have to pay.”
He added that Wagga Beach could benefit from similar attractions.
Councillor Amelia Parkins said she recently discussed with her partner how, around 50 years ago, council staff had already been considering an alternate location for a second pool.
“Uranquinty, Mangoplah, and Tarcutta — none of them have a small regional pool like The Rock,” Cr Parkins said. “But under Snowy Valleys Council, towns like Adelong, Batlow, Tumut, and Tumbarumba all have their own smaller pools.
“Wagga Council has one large aquatic centre that hasn’t been updated in 50 years, yet our population has grown dramatically over the last five to six decades.
“It is definitely time for council to start considering additional pool facilities, but that needs to be weighed against the budget.
“I would love more pools, waterslides, and a splash park, but it has to be balanced with all the other services council provides for the community.”
At the start of the school holidays, Cr Parkins had planned to tour all the regional pools with her family.
“I thought it would be a great opportunity to travel around and compare which pool is the best within a two-hour radius of Wagga,” she said.
“But we only made it to Junee, Coolamon, Ganmain, and The Rock. My son loves The Rock Pool because it has a diving board. All of those pools are only 25 metres, but they’re a great asset for their communities.”
Cr Parkins said many people had reached out to her, saying access to pools and swimming lessons should be free for everyone.
“Swimming is such an important life skill, especially with the river, but it’s hard to provide those services. Running a pool costs a huge amount of money.”
She acknowledged that while one large aquatic centre might not be enough for the city, it would also be unrealistic to have a pool in every suburb.
