New-look Beatty Park makes a splash

The long-awaited revamp of Beatty Park's indoor pools is complete and this week its first young visitors took to the water to lap up the new facilities.

It is the first milestone in the City of Vincent's $17 million redevelopment of the leisure centre, which includes a new 10-lane outdoor pool and a two-level building with fitness facilities.

City of Vincent Mayor Alannah MacTiernan said the project was on time and on budget with all work scheduled to be completed by the end of the year.

She said the council anticipated an almost doubling of centre memberships over the next two years.

The eight-lane indoor heated pool has been resurfaced and fun water features have been added to the children's pool.

New change rooms and creche facilities will be finished next month and the rejuvenated centre will be complete by December, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the complex.

Built for the 1962 Empire and Commonwealth Games, the centre originally had two 50-yard pools, a diving pool, spectator seating and press rooms.

Throughout the decades the centre has helped teach, train and launch the careers of many aquatic sportsmen and women and has also played host to the Queen Mother, concerts and beauty pageants.