Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre will open to the community in December 2022.
At a media conference held on Monday 5 September 2022, City of Mount Gambier CEO Sarah Philpott announced the anticipated opening dates and final costs for the Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre.
In December, the doors will open to the revamped outdoor 50m pool and new indoor 25m pool, splash pad, program pool, and learn to swim pool. At the same time, the community can use the eastern bank of timber courts, function and community rooms, the health centre, and the café.
In February, the western bank of courts will be finished and opened to the community which will provide opportunities to host events, conventions, concerts and sporting competitions. Retractable seating in both banks of courts will progressively be installed next year, opening up seating for thousands of spectators.
Council have partnered with Belgravia Leisure to ensure that there is an operator who has the experience to encourage local use, improving our community’s wellbeing as well as being connected nationally to attract events and activities that will support our City’s continuing economic growth.
Council is now in a position to advise the community of the final costs for the project. The budget throughout the course of the build for Wulanda is $66.8m, including project management, cost estimators, quantity surveyors, planning and statutory charges, contingency and construction.
This budget includes the construction cost for the project. The original construction budget of $61.6m comprised a contract price of $57.3m and a contingency allocation of $4.3m or 7.5%. All construction projects, large or small, allow a contingency for matters that are unanticipated at the time of commencing a project, which might relate to design, scope of the project or material availability.
Council can advise now that the final construction cost for Wulanda is anticipated to be $62.5m, noting that Council has an additional contingency for any final and unanticipated items. Allowing the remaining contingency to be taken up, the overall construction will have increased the original budget by 2.13%.
Council’s solid financial position, and funding partner support of $15m Australian Government funding, $10m State Government funding and $350,000 from District Council of Grant, have ensured that the project can be funded and delivered.
Throughout the build, Wulanda has benefitted local trades and contractors by more than $22 million. This does not account for the corresponding investment in hospitality and accommodation venues by visiting businesses and services. Around 60% of the project has been spent either locally in our region or in South Australia.
Wulanda is a community space that will serve Mount Gambier for multiple generations.
It responds to the community’s desire for quality aquatics, flexible sporting and event spaces. It will stand the test of time in reinforcing the City of Mount Gambier and this region as a unique and preferred destination to enjoy for the future.
Media contact: City of Mount Gambier Media and Communications Coordinator Jamie McDonald on 8721 2401 or media@mountgambier.sa.gov.au
The Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre project is made possible with the support of the Federal Government Regional Growth Fund and the State Government Regional Growth Fund.
