It’s one of the most controversial projects in 50 years, but there’s signs the Campbelltown Billabong Parklands may become a very popular destination for families – and not just in summer.
That was the verdict from Campbelltown Mayor George Greiss after an inspection tour of the construction site at the old Apex Park in Bradbury this morning.
The three huge swimming pools catering for toddlers to adults are starting to take shape, as are the parkland areas around them.
But the main impression one gets after such an inspection is that the Billabong is much bigger than it looks from Appin Road or The Parkway.
“Yes, it is large,’’ Cr Greiss said in an interview with the South West Voice in Macarthur afterwards.
The mayor was also impressed that finally some of the distinctive features are starting to take shape.
“I know that it may look like a hole in the ground from above the retaining wall, but it is starting to take shape,’’ he said.
“We can now actually see what’s going to happen.
“I must admit I struggled to imagine what it would look like when I first came on site, but now we can see the magnitude of the project.’’
The main entrance will be near the current driveway entry to the carpark that serves both the cricket and footy fields as well as the Gordon Fetterplace aquatic centre.
Accordingly the pools will be located mainly across from the footy field. They are designed so parents can sit and relax in the shade while the children enjoy a swim in the toddler pool or the slightly deeper one next to it.
The feature of the main pool will be a functional bridge with indigenous art across the middle of the body of water.
“We’re going all out to make sure it’s a first class facility by including some Aboriginal art works, such as this bridge, which has two uses, it’s functional so people can actually use it but it’s also the kind of active art that engages people,’’ the mayor said.
“The whole facility is designed to engage people even in winter; there will be parklands, and children’s playgrounds for children so they can use the facility even if they don’t plan to go for a swim.’’
Cr Greis said they are still looking at a September-October completion date.
“We are hoping that it will be ready for next summer,’’ he says.
“We’re working through now how we open it and what we are expecting to do.
“We expect it will be handed over from a construction site around September sometime.’’
One of the criticisms of the Billabong has been that there’s going to be insufficient parking near the site, especially on hot days like the one we had today during the inspection tour.
“When you open something of this magnitude sometimes you have to test it and see,’’ he says.
“So when we first open it there’s going to be a couple of things pop up that we haven’t thought about, but we’ll deal with that as they come along.
“But at the end of the day we will have the structure and the backbone of a very important facility here in Campbelltown.’’
