THE region’s largest aged care provider has revealed its proposed $4.5m Community Wellbeing Centre and hydrotherapy pool project remains on track with construction likely to get under way later this year.
The highly anticipated Boandik project will see a 20-year grassroots push for a “community” hydrotherapy pool finally become a reality for Mount Gambier.
A gymnasium for people aged over 50, change rooms, treatment room, outdoor rehabilitation space and meeting areas will also feature in the building.
The proposed building will be built on vacant lawn at the front of Boandik’s Lake Terrace site.
“We are thrilled to be delivering on this highly desired project for our community,” Ms McGinty told The Border Watch.
“Many people are telling us in the community they cannot wait for the hydrotherapy pool to open.
“The feedback we have received has been fantastic – there is a buzz around how exciting and beneficial this project will be for the wider community.”
The blueprint is being tweaked and consultants/engineers have been engaged to progress the internal design so plans can be submitted for formal planning approval.
“We have been doing lots of visits to hydrotherapy pools, including Adelaide and the Fleurieu Peninsula, Cobden and Warrnambool to see them in operation,” Ms McGinty said.
She said operators had been open in sharing information with Boandik staff, including what not to do in the design.
“At this stage the pool is drawn as 12m by 8m, but we need to wait until the specialised pool consultant is involved to finalise this,” Ms McGinty said.
“There are quite a few requirements and standards around the use of hydrotherapy pools.”
Explaining there was a small hydrotherapy pool located at Naracoorte, she said the proposed pool would be the only major facility of its type in the South East with the closest pool located at Warrnambool.
“The Warrnambool hydrotherapy pool – located as St John of God Hospital – has been running for eight years and it is now booked out all the time,” Ms McGinty explained.
Equally, the hydrotherapy pool located at the Fleurieu Peninsula – which only opened 12 months ago – could not “keep up with demand”.
“They have lots of groups using it and that is what we are hoping for. We are building this project in Mount Gambier for the community – we want everybody to be able to access it,” Ms McGinty said.
The facility will be based on a user-pays system to make the hydrotherapy pool viable given its high running costs.
The aged care chief also called on the wider business community to throw its support behind the project as the not-for-profit organisation seeks financial partners.
“We invite business partners to join us in making this centre become the hydrotherapy hub of the South East,” Ms McGinty said.
While the organisation had received a $150,000 grant from the State Government, it is awaiting the outcome of a federal Building Better Regions Fund application.
“This should be announced soon – our application was for $2m,” Ms McGinty revealed.
But she said the project would move ahead despite the outcome of the application.
“We are just about to start the community partnerships program. We are hoping the community will come on board to help support the project,” she said.
This community partnership program will be launched shortly.
Business and people wanting to help support the project – through financial donations or providing construction materials or products for the new building – can contact Gail Bradley at gbradley@boandik.org.au or on 8725 7377.
