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26 Business View Australia - March-April 2016
PUBLIC WORKS &
a huge success since opening, and
we’re working to attract and secure
regional and state events for the
coming years,” says Newman.
Stage two, a$20milliondevelopment,
focuses on the dry areas of the
recreation centre. Two new basketball
and squash courts are being added,
while the gym and administrative
areas are reconstructed. With a
projected completion date between
July and August, 2016, this upgrade
will see the existing floor size almost
double.
The energy demands of running such
a large complex have seen the City
move away from more conventional
sources, focusing instead on
environmentallysustainableinitiatives
which will pay for themselves within a
few years. Geothermal heating of the
centre, which involves extracting heat
sources from 1050m below ground,
is a $4.5 million project the City
has undertaken to keep the centre
heated in an environmentally friendly
way. While the drilling process is a
bit complicated, Newman says the
payback will be noticeable.
“It will save around $80,000 a month
in heating costs. Obviously we still
have the boilers in there which you
need when the system goes down but
we know what it costs per month so
it will pay for itself in five years. It’s
a fantastic project, supported by both
the State and Federal governments
–through the Community Energy
Efficiency Program. That’s helped to