A unique concept has been unveiled by the City of Sydney council that is set to change the face of the Sydney Foreshore and Harbour-side area, all whilst improving the livability and amenity for its residents
Under the proposal, there will be the construction of new pools which will sit within the Sydney Harbour (as pictured above). There will also be new sections of the Sydney Harbour marked off for the use of public swimming (as pictured below in Beare Park).
This proposal is expected to coincide when pollution levels begin to decline, making swimming accessible to many of the local residents who live within the region and to greater Sydney as a whole.
The plan has striking similarities to the plan that has been announced for the Parramatta River, where there is a plan to make several sections of the Parramatta River swimmable by 2025, such as:
- Putney park in Putney
- McIlwaine Park in Rhodes East
- Bayview Park in Concord
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The proposal makes sense as the Parramatta River and the Sydney Harbour are part of the same river system. According to the Our Living River website, it states that one of their missions is to improve the water quality of the river by reducing pollution to the point of making it swimmable by the year 2025.
There are currently 4 known swimming spots West of the Sydney Harbour Bridge along the Parramatta River, these spots are:
- Dawn Fraser Baths in Elkington Park, Balmain
- Lake Parramatta in North Parramatta
- Chiswick Baths in Bortfield Drive, Chiswick
- Cabarita Park beach in Carbarita Park, Carbarita
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These beaches should be avoided if there is heavy rain for the 4 days leading up to your visit and it is a good idea to check the NSW Government’s Beachwatch website for updates on pollution
Lockdowns may have affected people attitudes of having this type of infrastructure nearby, as only being allowed to go within a 5km radius meant people found a lot more things closer to home and with a proposal like this it would bring swimming and outdoor recreation a lot closer to many families and young professionals who may be seeking leisure in their local area
This proposal was developed by Andrew Burges Architects.
A priority will be placed on the simpler projects which will not require extensive infrastructure works (such as the Beare park proposal above). This means once water levels are deemed safe for swimming by reducing the pollution, it won’t be too long before the scheme is implemented & we can be swimming in our beautiful natural harbour
Having pools and swimming spots scattered around the Sydney Harbour can make our unique harbour an even more attractive place to live and may attract young professionals from suburbs further out along the beach to live closer into the city.
