The Warm Water Pool facility will be located at the Brighton Golf Course, next to the car park and behind the existing Women’s Golf Club (see image below).

It will also be located next to a proposed Wellness Centre which would initially be a private facility, leased and operated by BlueFit (current lessee of Brighton Golf Course).

The north-east corner of Brighton Golf Course was selected as the location for the Warm Water Pool because:

• It’s a central location in Bayside, with good access by road and public transport
• There is a high proportion residents aged 60+ in the neighbouring area
• The site would have less environmental and residential impacts than other locations
• There is sufficient space to meet the expected parking needs
• Ensures multi-purpose use of public open space and community infrastructure.

Changes to the golf course

The course will remain a public par 67 course, however, accommodating the proposed Warm Water Pool and Wellness Centre would mean alterations to the 9th and 12th holes.

The 9th hole is proposed to be reduced to a par 4 and the 12th extended to a par 5. BlueFit will be investing in course improvements including tees and greens and a new Pro Shop, proposed to be in the Warm Water Pool building.

The current short practice fairway will cease to be used under the proposed changes, but a new indoor specialist golf training and coaching facility will be created in the existing Pro Shop instead.

BlueFit also plan to introduce new practice hitting cages to allow golfers to warm up before teeing off.

The need for sufficient on-site car parking and preventing local traffic congestion were the top two challenges raised in the first phase of community engagement.

The Warm Water Pool is located next to the existing car park at Brighton Golf Course, with vehicle access via a one-way loop road off Dendy Street.

The existing car park has 134 parking spaces, with a further 33 car parking spaces along on the loop road. A total of 234 parking spaces are located in the immediate area, including along Dendy Street.

We commissioned a Traffic Impact Assessment report which found that the warm water pool would likely generate an additional car parking demand of up to 62 spaces on a typical weekday and 59 spaces on the weekend.

Parking occupancy surveys undertaken around Warm Water Pool location found a minimum of 182 available spaces during the weekday surveyed, and 147 available spaces available on the weekend.

Within the off-street car park immediately adjacent to the proposed Warm Water Pool, there were 100 spaces available during the weekday peak period and 71 spaces available during the Saturday peak period.

On this basis, the Traffic Impact Assessment report found that there is enough available parking to accommodate the additional weekday and weekend car parking demand generated by the Warm Water Pool.

The traffic report also recommends a pedestrian path is constructed from Dendy Street to the Warm Water Pool, as well as bicycle parking facilities installed at the site to encourage use of sustainable transport.

User affordability of this public facility was another challenge raised during the first phase of community consultation, and Council has committed to providing affordable, community access to the public Warm Water Pool.

The proposed fee schedule is benchmarked across mid-range similar facilities and current aquatic industry costs. Fees may increase by 5% per annum, subject to consultation with Council.

The following opening hours for the Warm Water Pool have been proposed to maximise community access and provide exclusive access to a program pool consistent with feedback from stakeholder reference groups:

Monday to Thursday: 6am to 9pm

Friday and Saturday: 6am to 7pm

Sunday: 7am to 5pm.

The Warm Water Pool will be specifically designed to cater for people of all abilities, including facilities and programs for people with high or complex needs.

The facility will incorporate a range of features to ensure it is accessible for all including:

• Hoists from accessible adult change rooms to service each pool.
• Moveable floor in the larger pool
• Ramp access to both pools with handrails
• Accessible changerooms with toilets and showers
• Allied health services onsite
• Undercover access from accessible carparks (located at main entrance).