Aqua Energy redevelopment will make a real difference to local lives

Wellington Shire Council’s $23 million redevelopment was sensitively designed to ensure Aqua Energy is a welcoming facility where everyone in the community can enjoy the day-to-day activities that many people take for granted.

Supported through the State Government’s Department of Families, Fairness and Housing Changing Places Fund, the new Changing Places toilet space, located near the hydrotherapy pool, is specifically designed for people with high support needs and their carers to have a safe, hygienic and dignified toilet experience.

The Changing Places suite includes a height-adjustable adult-sized change table, a ceiling track hoist system that supports lifting people into aquatic wheelchairs or the open shower, a toilet and privacy screen, generous clearances and an automatic door with a wider opening. The space has passed rigorous testing to ensure it meets specific technical standards.

Once opened, it will be registered on the official Changing Places website, allowing those who cannot use standard accessible toilets to locate it easily. The space is exclusively available to certain users via a key card. The Changing Places suite is in addition to four other accessible change rooms. As part of the redevelopment, an accessible changeroom was also added to the gym, as well as a new ramp entry.

Adjacent to the kid’s pool, a new family-friendly ‘Change Village’ consists of six individual partitions which allow parents with multiple children or prams to change safely together. The Change Village will give mothers with young sons or fathers with young daughters the option to change without taking their children into the larger public changerooms.

To the side of the children’s pool is a new accessible zero-depth water play area with fountains and splash pads, allowing young children and individuals with mobility limitations to enjoy indoor water activities safely.

The elimination of all internal stairs throughout the pool area creates a single level, universally accessible facility, with ramps into the hydrotherapy and 25 metre pool, and sloped entry into the children’s pool.

Dedicated school changing rooms were also included in the design, allowing school and water education user groups the opportunity to have their own dedicated changing space, in line with Child Safe Standards.

Wellington Shire Council Mayor Councillor Scott Rossetti said everyone deserved the opportunity to enjoy public facilities, regardless of age, ability or mobility.

“In Wellington Shire, a significant portion of the population at almost 30% self-report having a disability, with 7.1% requiring assistance with core daily activities,” Cr Rossetti said.

“Aquatic activities offer numerous physical and mental health benefits, including improved mobility, cardio health, rehabilitation support and social connection. This refurbishment will ensure these benefits are available to everyone in our community.”

The Aqua Energy Redevelopment project is funded by Wellington Shire Council, the Victorian Government through a Changing Places Grant and Local Sports Infrastructure Fund (Sport and Recreation Victoria), the Federal Government’s Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program and local philanthropic trust, The John Leslie Foundation.

Construction on the Aqua Energy redevelopment is expected to be completed in September this year.

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