By Cam Lucadou-Wells
The next State Government will be asked to help cover the soaring costs of City of Greater Dandenong’s priority project – the Dandenong Wellbeing Centre.
In four months since the May federal election, the Dandenong Oasis pool redevelopment’s estimated cost has swelled from $82.3 million to about $90 million.
Major projects director Paul Kearsley says “escalating construction costs” are the cause.
“Council is seeking funding support from the State Government to help respond to these rising costs.”
The Federal Government has pledged $20 million to the DWC as well as the upgrade of Noble Park Aquatic Centre.
Ahead of the November state election, mayor Jim Memeti has appealed to the next State Government to match with a further $20 million.
This still leaves the council with at least $50 million to raise or borrow.
“The health and wellbeing of the community is a shared responsibility between all levels of government,” Cr Memeti said.
“Escalating construction costs is making the delivery of major projects increasingly challenging for local government and increased support is required across all levels of government in order to deliver major capital projects.”
Councillor Rhonda Garad questioned if the council could afford a “Taj Mahal”.
“We haven’t been briefed what we’re getting for the extra $10 million.
“We risk building a Taj Mahal that we can’t afford and I don’t think that’s what the community wants.
“I think the community wants a pool that meets the community needs and one that we can afford to run.
“I’m wondering if we have to be more realistic and consider a more viable design.”
Cr Garad queried the operational costs and carbon-efficiency being “sacrificed” by the “extraordinarily beautiful” design.
Such as the costs of heating and cooling a building with high ceilings and expanses of glass. There was also a lack of detail about how the DWC will be powered.
“I’ve repeatedly asked for end to end ESD (environmentally sustainable design principles) but it’s continually not given.
“We get this lovely design and no understanding of its carbon footprint.”
Cr Garad said more efficient centres were being produced in the UK at up to $30 million.
In a similar vein of austerity, councillors recently voted down detailed design work for a proposed $9.1 million regional table tennis centre in Keysborough.
Cr Garad said the council did not have a lot of money for capital expenditure with several big-ticket projects to come, such as community hubs in Keysborough South and Dandenong and the $110 million Dandenong Sports and Events Centre.
The business case for the latter has yet to be released ahead of the state election.
Cr Memeti described the DWC as a “preventative health hospital” that will save the health system $8.9 million a year.
It includes allied health consulting suites, warm water hydrotherapy pools as well as traditional aquatic facilities such as pools, a spa, sauna and gym.
“Greater Dandenong is Victoria’s most multicultural community and is also one of the most disadvantaged municipalities in the state, with high levels of inactivity, health challenges and disengagement,” Cr Memeti said.
“The DWC has been designed to address this high level of need, with a range of unique features and attributes to cater for people of all ages, abilities and cultures.”
According to its detailed business case, it is projected to increase participation levels by 84 per cent, Cr Memeti said.
It would also create more than 150 construction jobs, 51 ongoing jobs and $3.3 million into the economy each year.
“The proposed centre (is) promising to set a new benchmark for aquatic centres, with a targeted focus on health and wellbeing.”
