17 December 2020

Builders down tools at Mackay Park to clean up wetlands

| Sharon Kelley
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Deb Lenson, Nick Lyons, James Ward, Sally McIntosh and Heidi Thomson cleaning up wetlands at Mackay Park.

From left: Eurobodalla Shire Council’s Deb Lenson with ADCO Construction’s Nick Lyons, NBRS Architecture’s James Ward, ADCO friend Sally McIntosh, and council’s Heidi Thomson.

The company contracted to design and build the new Batemans Bay Regional Aquatic, Arts and Leisure Centre downed tools at the site on Tuesday, 8 December, and spent the day with NSW Public Works, ABS Facades and Eurobodalla Shire Council removing debris and rubbish from wetlands adjacent to the worksite.

Representatives from builders ADCO Constructions and architects NBRS Architecture spent the day removing rubbish from the wetlands, planting native trees, grasses and shrubs, and building insect hotels to donate to local schools.

They removed five cubic metres of debris from the wetlands, planted around 300 natives, and built four insect hotels.

Eurobodalla Shire Council’s natural resource supervisor, Heidi Thomson, said she was blown away by the team’s efforts, and said council will continue restoration work in the area.

“Many people don’t realise there are wetlands surrounding Mackay Park, just west of the Princes Highway,” she said.

“They support significant mangrove and saltmarsh communities and are perfect habitat for fish, birds and crabs. They also trap a lot of litter from the highway and town before it enters Clyde River.

“ADCO has been fantastic in helping us restore this area, and we’re very appreciative of the effort everyone put in on Tuesday [8 December], especially those who travelled from afar just to help out.”

ADCO Constructions senior project manager Nick Lyons said the work was part of ADCOmmunity Day, an annual event in which the company’s NSW staff participate in community-based projects.

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“Rather than have a function or spend a day in the office doing paperwork, ADCO gives us the opportunity to get out there and lend a hand,” he said.

“Our team wanted to do a project that helped the local environment and the Batemans Bay community.”

Construction of the Batemans Bay Regional Aquatic, Arts and Leisure Centre is on schedule, with excavation for the 25-metre pool and balance tanks complete, while the concrete piling is more than 50 per cent complete. ADCO Constructions is about to pour concrete bases for the pool and balance tanks.

The centre at Mackay Park will replace the existing 50-metre outdoor pool with an indoor aquatic centre with a 25-metre, eight-lane pool with ramp access; a separate 10-metre warm water pool; a freeform indoor leisure pool that includes learn-to-swim and toddler areas, water play splash pads, waterslides, a gym, group fitness and wellness area.

The centre will also have an arts and cultural zone, with a flexible flat-floored auditorium which will seat up to 350 people; dressing rooms; a green room and storage; and a gallery/exhibition space and storage. The arts zone will include a rehearsal/dance studio/music room; wet arts workshop space and storage; dry arts workshop space and storage; and meeting and multipurpose rooms.

Shared facilities will include a foyer, cafe, visitor information service, administration offices, plant and support services. The project is funded by Eurobodalla Shire Council, with $51 million in grants from the NSW Government and Federal Government, with an overall projected cost of $58,082,810.

For more information about the project, visit Eurobodalla Shire Council’s website.

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