Confidential ACT tender calls for consultants to probe government-owned swimming pools' future

"ACT Property Group (ACTPG) is seeking a suitably qualified and experienced consultant to undertake a feasibility study and provide a comprehensive costing report for future use of territory owned pools," a tender notice published on Thursday said.

Potential suppliers must sign a confidentiality agreement to access the documents that outline the government's expectations.

An industry briefing will be open to potential suppliers who agree to the confidentiality requirements and register for the October 17 event.

Potential suppliers will need to have their bids for the work in to the ACT government by 2pm on October 31.

The tender follows years of speculation over the future of the Canberra Olympic Pool in the city centre, which was once touted as a future stadium site and has more recently been linked to a future emergency services headquarters.

Commonwealth Park has been identified as a possible new site for a Civic pool, as the National Capital Authority, which manages the site, completes a new master plan for the area.

The current Civic pool, between Parkes Way and Constitution Avenue, opened to coincide with the 1956 Melbourne Olympics and would now take two years of repairs to keep it in long-term use.

Commonwealth Park will be serviced by a new light rail stop as part of the territory government's plan to extend the line from the city to Commonwealth Park and then ultimately to Woden.

Chief Minister Andrew Barr has previously said the principal challenge of redeveloping the current Civic Pool site would be excavating the contaminated site, which has a sewer and storm water line running through it.

"I suspect that any development solution there is going to have to be cap and seal and build on top rather than digging down," he said.

"I don't think it's an area that can have a lot of basement activity."

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The ACT government manages the contracts for seven public swimming pools in the ACT, with two outdoor pools and five pools with indoor facilities available all around the year.

The Y (YMCA) NSW had managed pools in Canberra for nine years, but left the market without ever saying why it wanted out of its contracts.

Dickson Aquatic Centre Pty Ltd had managed the Dickson pool since 1996 but wanted out of its contract a year early because of frustrations working with the ACT Property Group, informing the government of its plans more than a year ago.

Belgravia Health and Leisure Group Pty Ltd, which operates as Belgravia Leisure, was last month appointed to operate five of the government-owned pools.

The company will take over responsibility for Canberra Olympic Pool, Gungahlin Leisure Centre, Stromlo Leisure Centre, Lakeside Leisure Centre and Dickson Aquatic Centre following a public tender process.

The contract for all pools is for five years, with an option to extend to 10 years.

Belgravia Leisure chief executive Nick Cox said he looked forward "to providing certainty" to the community now the tender process was completed.

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