Hundreds gathered at the Armadale Aquatic Centre last weekend to celebrate the city’s End of an Era event.
The centre was closing for upgrades and would reopen with an all-season 25-metre swimming pool, indoor leisure pool, program pool, crèche, gym and group fitness room.
Senator Linda Reynolds was at the closing event and said the facilities would be world class when they were finished.
“By the time it is reopened Armadale will have the best facility of its type in the country,” she said.
“I think it’s about time this part in the world, the eastern suburbs, got the same sort of infrastructure but also social infrastructure other parts of Perth have come to expect.”
On the day the Armadale Police Rangers provided a free sausage sizzle while Aquatic Centre mascots Fergus the Frog and Lily the Butterfly entertained children.
There was also a display of photographs taken over the centre’s 37-year history.
City of Armadale mayor Henry Zelones acknowledged the centre staff for their months of commitment to planning the final farewell event.
“Our community has been waiting for the construction of an indoor aquatic centre for many years and now it is a reality,” he said.
Mr Zelones and city chief executive Ray Tame tied a ribbon on the centre’s front doors to officially close the facility at the end of the event.
Funding for the upgrades was provided in part by a $10 million grant from the Federal Government’s Community Development Grants Program, $1 million from the State Government and about $15 million from the City of Armadale.
