Councillors back water park study

BUNDABERG Regional Council has voted in favour of funding a feasibility study into the establishment of a joint aquatic centre and water park in the region.

A motion was put forward at yesterday's council meeting to allocate funds to a scoping study into the project from the 2012/13 budget.

Proponents of a water park in the region have established a Facebook page that so far has attracted more than 2700 members.

It is understood the scoping study would cost between $200,000 and $400,000.

The motion was supported by Division 5 councillor Greg Barnes, who has been vocal in his support of the project.

Initial indications suggest the construction of the facility would cost between $10 and $20 million.

Cr Barnes said considerable community support warranted consideration by council.

"The community has made it clear they want a water park and the former Bundaberg City Council already has concept designs for an aquatic centre," he said.

"If council has funding available and can secure additional government funding, it would be a worthy project to be carefully considered.

"If we can secure funding this would be an excellent project to try and get off the ground."

But Division 3 councillor Wayne Honor said there were more pressing issues for the council to consider.

"I'm not against it as a long-term project, but I think in the next term of local government we need to allocate as much funding as we can to the provision of bridge and road infrastructure," he said.

Cr Honor, also the council's roads spokesman, said infrastructure upgrades needed to be a priority after extreme flooding in the summer of 2010/11 and localised flooding last month.

"The money used for the scoping study could be put into capital works projects for people currently experiencing difficulty connecting with town centres," he said.