Dawn Fraser Baths upgrade

The Dawn Fraser Baths is home to the oldest water polo and swimming club in Australia and the Baths is listed as a nationally significant heritage item. Inner West Council is proud to stand as the custodian of this much-loved community asset and is fully committed to the Baths' progressive conservation. 

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Council will undertake additional improvements at the recently upgraded baths in 2022-2023.

Proposed works include:

• refurbishment of the northern pavilion
• accessible pool entry facilities and
• planning for long term access improvements to the baths’ entry from the surrounding streets and Elkington Park

Progress:

• Northern pavilion structural report completed
• The access consultant has been appointed and the holist access audit of the Baths completed.
• The recommendations from the report are being included for consideration in the revised Elkington Pk Plan of Management - completed.
• Revised concept designs, which included suggestions from the community engagement session, where presented to the IWC Access Advisory Committee for comment - completed
• Two concept design options were shortlisted -completed.
• Architectural and relevant sub-consultants are being procured for the preparation of the designs.
• Planning, heritage and engineering consultants have been appointed for the preparation and submission of the Integrated Development Application (IDA)
• Procurement for architectural services for the detailed design is to commence.
• Preferred concept design selected and priced by QS
• Detail timber structure report completed.
• Procurement for architectural services to start shortly

Budget: $600k

Completion Date: October 2024

Contact: David Di Biase (02) 9392 5946,  david.di.biase@innerwest.nsw.gov.au

2020-2021 Project details

The works included:

• Raising boardwalks and ground floor levels of the Entry Building and Southern Pavilion
• Demolition and reconstruction of the Southern Pavilion at the new raised ground level
• Retention, alteration and repair of the Entry Building to the Southern Pavilion
• Installation of new solar panels to the Northern Pavilion and four water polo lights
• Installation of fire sprinkler system and emergency upgrades
• Associated alterations to the perimeter paths, seawalls and eastern perimeter entry

Council is spending approximately $6 million and also successfully obtained a $2.2 million grant from the NSW Government and a $500,000 grant from the Commonwealth Government to fund the heritage upgrade.