Minister switches on Collingwood Leisure Centre's all-electric future

Yarra City Council welcomed the Member for Cooper the Hon. Ged Kearney to Collingwood Leisure Centre this week to turn the first sod on construction of the centre's electrification. 

The project will also improve cooling and dehumidification of the pool and spa hall and is possible thanks to an investment of $2.9 million from the Federal Government via the Thriving Suburbs Program. 

The upgrades will: 

• improve comfort and safety for visitors and staff by maintaining consistent temperatures year-round 

• increase pool heating efficiency by 350% 

• cut annual emissions by 485 tonnes of CO₂. 

This will reduce Council's total gas emissions by 25% and support our goal of reaching net zero by 2035. 

Other parts of the upgrade include: 

• an upgraded pool hall ventilation and dehumidification system 

• new heat recovery system in change rooms 

• new entrance airlock to reduce heat loss 

• repairs and improvements to the pool hall building  

• new retractable awnings for the East Pool Hall. 

Yarra City Council Mayor, Cr Stephen Jolly says this is an important step towards net zero. 

“By electrifying Collingwood Leisure Centre, we can ensure that our community have a council-run space they can visit all year round that’s comfortable, pleasant and safe, whether they want to lift some weights, do an exercise class or watch their kids learn to swim,” he says. 

“Since 2024, Yarra City Council has doubled down on our commitment to reducing the impacts of climate change and focused our efforts on supporting the communities most at risk of these impacts," he says. 
 
For more on the works, visit: Changes to services during the Collingwood electrification works | News, Yarra