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                    Kensington Community Aquatic and Recreation Centre redevelopment

                    Entrance to the new Kensington Community Recreation Centre (artist impression)
                    The City of Melbourne is redeveloping the Kensington Community Aquatic and Recreation Centre located within JJ Holland Park to support the diverse needs of the community.

                    ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Following two rounds of community consultation​, the design of the new centre includes a larger pool and gym, three multipurpose courts and accessible change rooms to support use by individuals, families and groups. ​

                    Construction is currently underway and the new centre is scheduled to open in 2025. Once the new centre opens, the community can enjoy a range of facilities, including: 

                    • a 25-metre pool featuring 8 lanes
                    • improved gym facilities
                    • children’s water play
                    • three full-sized multipurpose courts
                    • health and wellness areas
                    • three large flexible spaces suitable for a range of classes and community uses
                    • accessible change rooms, including an adult accessible change facility funded by the Victorian Government
                    • a new cafe.​​

                    Stay active and connected ​

                    To stay active and connected while construction is underway, visit our Active Melbourne Directory that contains a variety of recreation and sporting opportunities in the City of Melbourne. Kensington Community Aquatic and Recreation Centre members also have reciprocal access to other City of Melbourne centres. Visit the Kensington Community Recreation Centre website to find out more. ​​​

                    Construction updates

                    View more


                    FAQs

                    What are the construction site work hours?

                    ​Works are carried out from 7am to 7pm on Mondays to Fridays, and 8am to 3pm on Saturdays. ​​​

                    Was asbestos-containing material found on site?

                    As part of the construction process for the new Kensington Community Aquatic and Recreation Centre, City of Melbourne engaged a licensed contractor to test soil on the site, which identified some asbestos-containing material. 

                    The contaminated soil has been safely removed and disposed of at a landfill facility licensed by the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) to accept this material. 

                    Find out more in the July 2022 construction update:​

                    What is the revised completion date and budget?

                    Council is committed to delivering the centre Kensington needs and deserves, however removing the contaminated soil has impacted the timeframe and budget of the project. 

                    We anticipate the new centre will open in early 2025 with an additional $17.2 million required to complete the project, which brings the total cost to $68.2 million. ​As a result of the revised budget, there will be no changes to the centre's new facilities.​​

                    We apologise to the community for the delay – we know many of you are excited to walk in the doors of the new facility.​


                    Will trees be impacted by the redevelopment?

                    ​As part of the redevelopment, a total of 34 trees have been removed as outlined in the tree removal plan:

                    Aerial view of the community recreation centre. Trees are indicated by green circles containing a tree symbol, with those trees that have been removed shown as blue circles containing a cross symbol.  

                    In line with our Urban Forest Strategy, which aims to create a resilient, healthy and diverse urban forest, approximately 44 trees will be replanted.

                    Does the new centre have environmentally sustainable design features?

                    Yes. The centre will run entirely electric, meaning no gas will be used to heat the pool, and LED lighting will be used throughout the facility. In addition, the centre’s heat recovery technology will capture waste heat generated by air-conditioning and use it for pool water heating.  

                    The new design also includes solar panels, water conservation measures, and efficient heating and cooling systems, which will help deliver on our commitment to tackle climate change and reduce emissions. 

                    Has the community been consulted?

                    ​Yes. Two stages of detailed community consultation were carried out in 2019, with the final concept design endorsed by Council in December 2020. More information about the consultation process can be found on Participate Melbourne. 

                    ​Artist impressions
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