00:02For the third consecutive summer, there will likely be no splash at Big Splash.
00:07The broader ACT Government is now of the belief that this facility will not open for summer 2026.
00:14We are very disappointed to hear that it won't be open as this has been a promise that has been
00:19made to the community a few times now.
00:21No buyer has been found for the troubled water park and the lessee is now certain not to meet its
00:27commitment to reopen the pool by November.
00:29The Territory Government has now commissioned a report it hopes will answer some key questions.
00:35What are the costs of bringing the existing 50 metre pool back into operation?
00:39What's the cost of delivering new slide facilities, bringing back the amenities and even delivering new facilities that weren't provided
00:47there before?
00:48This report will give us those answers.
00:50Once those answers are known, the Government thinks the site will be more attractive to potential buyers.
00:55We've been going around with this fight for quite a while now, but I do think this does give us
01:00an opportunity to come together with the community, the Government and potential buyers to actually work together and find a
01:05solution.
01:06But calls for the Government to take control of the lease remain.
01:10Leaving that lease in the hands of a private developer that clearly has absolutely no intention of operating a pool
01:16or a water park is just not getting us anywhere.
01:18I won't comment on what the independent regulator will or won't do, they'll undertake their own assessment as to whether
01:25the lessee is in compliance with their lease or not.
01:28There have also been calls for the Territory Government to buy the site, but Chris still maintains their preferred option
01:34is for a commercial operator to come in.
01:36The analysis on the site's future won't be finalised until the second half of next year.
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