The Post-It Note Wall is an interactive engagement tool that allows participants to provide public facing comments on digital 'post-it notes'.

Throughout stage one consultation, community members were able to suggest names that align with specific criteria (see next question).

Before being made public, these suggestions were moderated by Council officers to ensure that they were not a duplicate of an existing post-it note, were appropriate, in-line with the established naming criteria, and provided a short explanation as to what the name means/represents.

Once made public, other community members were able to 'up-vote' in support of a suggestion.

Please also note that all First Nations/Dharug name suggestions from the broader community in stage one were not made public in line with the cultural protocols that Council adheres too which ensures that any First Nations/Dharug names must come from Dharug representatives.

During stage one consultation, the community were invited to suggest names for the spaces, rooms, pools and services that aligned to one or more of the following criteria:

• Landmarks, flora and fauna within the City of Parramatta LGA and its waterways;
• Deceased individuals from the City of Parramatta community who have made a significant contribution to health, wellbeing and/or swimming culture;
• Deceased individuals or events that recognise the history of the Mays Hill site.

At the same time, Council engaged with local Dharug community representatives for some suggested First Nations name options against the same criteria.

The naming criteria for this consultation is a helpful guide that draws influence from the New South Wales Geographical Names Board who have developed guidelines for the determination of place names.

The new aquatic and leisure centre will be an important community asset that will offer a wide range of swimming, recreation, fitness, and wellbeing services. There are several elements within the new centre that would benefit from having a name that reflects the character, location, and identity of the facility. These include physical spaces such as the various pools, program rooms and outdoor areas, as well as services offered throughout the facility.

The 50-metre outdoor pool and the grandstand seating are excluded from this process. Please see separate FAQs below for more information. In addition, the gym and swimming programs are also excluded from this process.

At the conclusion of stage one consultation, the most popular names as indicated by 'up-voting' were reviewed to determine suitability. This review process involved Council officers looking into whether there were any copyright/trademarking issues or any other possible concerns with the names.

The most popular names selected by the community during stage two consultation will be allocated to spaces, rooms, pools and services within the new aquatic and leisure centre as deemed most appropriate by Council officers.

The names allocated against different elements will then be presented to Council for formal endorsement.

City of Parramatta acknowledges the Traditional Owners of this land, the Dharug people. The Dharug people still populate the areas of Parramatta and have a very close and special connection to the area, in particular the Mays Hill site where the new centre will be located.

It is culturally appropriate and respectful for consultation with local Aboriginal communities including relevant organisations and local Dharug representatives to take place when First Nations names are being considered.

Kevin Hession was a long-time member of the Parramatta Memorial Swimming Club and made a positive contribution to the community through the Club’s training programs. In fact, the grandstand bleachers at the Parramatta War Memorial Pool were named in his honour.

At the 28 September 2020 meeting, Council resolved to name the grandstand seating at the new facility as The Kevin Hession Stand.

In the 1950s and 1960s, inspired by the hosting of the Melbourne Olympics and the memory of World War II, war memorial pools were established by communities across New South Wales.

To mark and honour the legacy of the former Parramatta War Memorial Pool, it is proposed that the 50m outdoor pool in the new facility be named the Memorial Pool.

Further consultation is being conducted with the Parramatta RSL Sub-branch and the Parramatta Memorial Swimming Club before a final recommendation is made to Council for endorsement.

The new facility replaces the Parramatta War Memorial Swimming Centre (PWMSC), which was opened in 1959 and closed in 2017 as part of the expansion of, what is now, CommBank Stadium.

The ‘aquatic and leisure centre’ title was a working project name – it was never intended as a permanent name for the facility.

Councillors shortlisted names that went through further analysis and a review which included market testing, marketing analysis and targeted sentiment research.

Council formally decided the final name for the facility at the Council Meeting on Monday 11 July 2022.

The City of Parramatta is changing. Our community is expected to double in size to almost 400,000 residents by 2036. As one of the fastest-growing regions in NSW, our City needs a contemporary aquatic and leisure centre to meet our community’s needs now and for many years to come.

Aquatic and leisure facilities play an important role in providing health and wellbeing benefits for our community across all age groups, abilities, backgrounds, skills and interests. Community facilities, such as Parramatta's new aquatic and leisure centre, are an important part of our City and act as a meeting place for a diverse and interactive community.

The Parramatta War Memorial Swimming Pool, a much-loved traditional outdoor-only facility, was closed in March 2017 to allow for the development of Commbank Stadium. The new, larger stadium required a greater surrounding radius, including circulation zones for pedestrian and emergency vehicle access.

The new centre will be located within the Mays Hill Precinct in Parramatta Park. This location was decided as part of a comprehensive master plan and community consultation process.

The aquatic and leisure centre will sit on the eastern portion of the former golf course, adjacent to Park Parade near the corner of Pitt Street. Part of the design brief for the new centre was to respect the open space and heritage values and district vistas from the parkland.

For more information, see the Mays Hill Precinct Master Plan on the Parramatta Park website.

Parramatta's new aquatic and leisure centre reflects Council’s vision for a multipurpose, sustainable and smart project. The team has designed a facility that is more than a swimming facility. It will be a new form of social space for the community – a place to gather with family and friends, swim and play, and enhance the community’s health and wellbeing.

The design for the new aquatic and leisure centre was completed by Andrew Burges Architects, Grimshaw Architects and McGregor Coxall Landscape Architects. The consortium was chosen from a shortlist of four exceptional entries following a high-calibre international Design Excellence Competition.

Designed by Andrew Burges Architects, Grimshaw Architects and McGregor Coxall, the aquatic and leisure centre will feature:

• A 50m outdoor pool and landscaped leisure area
• A 25m indoor pool
• A dedicated learn to swim pool and water play area
• A full-sized wellness centre with a modern gym and program rooms
• Sauna, steam and spa facilities
• A large café
• 200-plus parking spaces

The centre includes sensitive integration with the site’s Parramatta Park surrounds. The building will offer a generous use of space and light, as well as single-level accessible entry and pathways. The ring enclosure that forms the primary identifying element of the design takes inspiration from both the history of farm enclosures and river swimming enclosures along the Parramatta River. The design also takes into account the heritage, topography and other constraints of the Mays Hill Precinct.

All visitors to Parramatta’s aquatic and leisure centre will have equal access. Accessible features have been incorporated in the facility’s design. These include:

• universally accessible change facilities for people of all ages and abilities;
• accessible lift and ramps to all indoor and outdoor areas;
• ramps in 50m and 25m pools, and a beach-like, zero-depth entry in the water play zone.

Council wants everyone to be able to enjoy its new community facility so accessibility is at the forefront of planning and design.

Lipman is the builder contracted for Parramatta’s new $88.6 million aquatic and leisure centre. Lipman is an Australian family-owned commercial builder that has operated in Sydney for more than 55 years.

Lipman have proven experience in delivering aquatic and leisure facilities, including Raging Waters Sydney (formerly Wet’n’Wild) and Trinity Grammar Aquatic Centre, as well as key public infrastructure such as Parramatta’s O’Connell Street Public School.

Following approval of the Development Application in December 2020, the official first sod turning ceremony was held in March 2021. Due to the complexity and sensitivity of the site, the new aquatic and leisure centre is expected to officially open in 2023.