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Works progressing at Ivanhoe Grammar School Coonawarra Willam Aquatic Centre
Building Engineering is proud to partner with Ivanhoe Grammar School in the construction of the Coonawarra Willam Aquatic Centre, which will open in early 2025. This state-of-the-art facility, located at the school’s Plenty Campus, will feature a 25-metre pool, learn-to-swim pool, gymnasium, and dedicated classrooms for Physical Education and Health and Human Development classes. It will also house Ivanhoe’s innovative co-curricular program, Ivanhoe Edge, offering enriching opportunities for students and Ivanhoe Swim, a learn-to-swim program and squad for students and the wider community.
In addition to the Aquatic Centre, our team is delivering new, cutting-edge sports fields, including a soccer pitch and a versatile hockey field that converts to multiple tennis and netball courts. These facilities will serve Ivanhoe Grammar School families, students from other schools participating in AGSV/APS sports, and the broader communities of Mernda, Doreen, South Morang, Wollert, and beyond.
Designed by Peddle Thorp Architects, the Aquatic Centre is built with sustainability in mind, including a solar energy system across the large roof span to generate its own power, rainwater collection and recycling to refill the pool when needed, constructed with air tightness requirements to increase the efficiency of heating and cooling, it also has a special vapour barrier membrane on the ceiling and walls around the pool to stop any condensation reaching outside.
Named “Coonawarra Willam”, meaning ‘Home of the Swan’ in the Woi-wurrung language of the Wurundjeri people. The name of the aquatic centre was provided by Wurundjeri Elder and holder of knowledge, Aunty Zeta Thomson. Coonawarra, the swan, is both a water and land animal. It builds its life on two of nature’s elements: earth and water. These elements are symbolic of the activities that will occur daily in this centre, through the pool, classrooms, gymnasium, and surrounding sporting fields.
We look forward to unveiling this transformative addition to the school, offering top-tier recreational and educational facilities that will benefit students and the local community.
