On Monday 23 June 2025, Council endorsed a direction for Olympic Leisure Centre (OLC). While this will see the closure of the centre’s ageing aquatic facilities at the end of October this year, it will also transition the much-loved community facility into a hub for expanded health, fitness, community and library services.

Council understands that this is a big decision and acknowledges the deep connection and passion many have for OLC. Council staff are actively working with existing OLC members and users. If you have any questions about your membership or accessing the centre please contact the centre directly.

To know more about Council's decision or to be kept up to date with this change please 'follow this page' or contact Nicole Maslin, Council's Manager Healthy and Active Communities.

In the 2025/26 Budget, $1.8 million is allocated to Olympic Leisure Centre. This will deliver:

• a new 30-hour-a-week library service from March 2026 (replacing the existing 3-hours-per-week mobile library service)
• repurposing the decommissioned pools to double the size of the existing gym, fitness and indoor recreation offerings
• additional community programming activities in partnership with community and service providers.

Council also committed to:

• providing free or subsidised access for 12 months to Ivanhoe Aquatic Centre for current aquatic users of Olympic Leisure Centre
• exploring alternative options for the existing women’s-only programming
• commission a feasibility study for a new zero-depth water play park in Heidelberg West.

The aquatic areas of the centre, added in the 1970s, has seen low and declining usage and are reaching the end of their useful life. Despite efforts to boost participation, the performance of the centre has not improved over time with attendance continuing to be well below industry standards.

A viability assessment of the Community Vision for Olympic Leisure Centre, which was created in 2021/22 through a co-design working group, established that it was not feasible to deliver the vision in full. Council acknowledges all the work of the co-design working group for their efforts and ideas as well as all members of the community for sharing their stories, ideas and concerns about OLC.

Council will receive a report back on the impact of the aquatic closure and any remaining service gaps in December 2026.

• Read the recent service review into the operations of OLC.
• Read the OLC future service model report from the 23 June Council meeting for the background to Council's decision.

OLC is an ageing facility that has provided valuable services the community for many years. The refurbished basketball courts and existing gym, program room and general areas are in good condition, but the remaining pool is at the end of its life and the centre continues to see a decline in members, casual users and in particular, pool users. The centre was closed from April 2021 to October 2022 due to Covid19 restrictions and emergency repair works.

A Co-design team made up of local people from Heidelberg West have used ideas from the wider community and worked together with Council to design a concept for a new facility.

Based on what was heard through the online survey in 2021 (see below) and the activations at Olympic Village Precinct in January 2022, the Co-design Team created a vision for the Olympic Leisure Centre that they think meets the needs of the community.

Reopening and activation

OLC reopened in November 2022 with a range of programs and promotion aimed at increasing usage of the centre. Council agreed to receive a report in November 2024 outlining the performance of the centre and the viability of delivering on the OLC community vision.

Big picture objectives

• To undertake an engagement and co-design program with the community that explores the re-imagining of the OLC and provides a new vision and plan for the future of this facility.
• Transform OLC from a leisure and aquatic facility into a space that aligns with communities current and future needs
• Strengthen links and synergies with complementary services and programs in the area

This project involves three main components. These components are interconnected and happening at the same time yet have separate outcomes.

Short term: Activation of Olympic Village Precinct
Activities for the Heidelberg West community commencing in January 2022 that support the reimagining process.

Short to medium term: Re-imagining OLC Co-design Process
A co-design process to re-imagine the Olympic Leisure Centre with the community and key stakeholders with the establishment of a community OLC Co-design Team, chaired by the Ward Councillor.

Long term: Heidelberg West Key Partners Collaborative Working Group
The establishment of a Key Partners Collaborative Working Group to support the Olympic Leisure Centre project and to start exploring and planning longer-term possibilities for Heidelberg West.

Background information & Project Principles

• A timeline of the story so far takes us through the rich history of Heidelberg West and provides key background information that has inspired the approach for this exciting project to come to life.
• Learning from what has worked in the past, the OLC facility will be reimagined for the needs of our Heidelberg West community today, and for long-term benefit. Council values the community and its diversity, and the proud history of advocating for what they need.

Reimagining Olympic Leisure Centre Project Principles

The following principles are aligned with the Banyule Community Vision and will be used to guide the Reimagining project:

• Sustainable & connected - in harmony with the natural environment,interfaces with the public realm, supports economic and social prosperity, and is delivered in a financially responsible way.
• For everyone - upholds the rights of everyone, creates opportunities to participate, improves access experiences for all and promotes equity.
• Flexible - adaptable to meet changing needs; supports intergenerational use; used for multiple purposes; unlocks opportunity for use; promotes innovative uses over time.
• Transformational – designed to build community wealth, celebrate culture and history, support people to discover their potential.
• Predictive & proactive - proactively responds to the diversity of communities & emerging community need; strives to uplift health,wellbeing & liveability over the long term; achieves ongoing safety and quality standards; integrates new technology to improve useability.
• Collaborative – we will pursue initiatives that aspire to achieve significant, community-wide progress on complex, systemic issues by enlisting and engaging key partners to work together toward a shared vision.