Beatty Park Leisure Centre & Beatty Park

Statement of Significance

Beatty Park Aquatic Centre and Recreation Ground is a fine example of a purpose designed, state of the art public facility for the 1962 Empire Games, in the Postwar International style, designed by the then City of Perth Town Clerk and City Engineer, W A MacInness Green. It also has associations with swimming events and championships, other water sports and events, and has social significance because it has been a focus of water sport in the local and wider community for 4 decades. The recreation ground is notable for its mature perimeter plantings which are significant townscape elements.

Physical Description

Comprises the three storey Aquatic Centre at the western end of the site and the Recreation Ground at the eastern end. The Aquatic Centre features glass-wall construction and extensive ceramic tile cladding. The U-shape design of the original building wraps around the main pool. It was extensively renovated in 1994 to provide facilities for recreational as well as sporting uses. The original building retains its original external character, which was characteristic of the Empire Games venues, with modular curtain wall facades with tinted windows and coloured spandrel panels. The Recreation Ground is an open grassed recreation area with perimeter plantings of mature trees, notably fig trees, which are a significant townscape element of the area. The main building is set diagonal across the corner. The setback areas comprise garden strips and hard surface driveways 1994 extensions and renovations

History

From the 1860s, problems with drainage and sanitation were of increasing concern in Perth as the town grew through the 1970s and 1880s. In March 1882, by-laws were passed controlling the disposal of night soil. On 4 December 1890 the area on the north side of Vincent Street, from Charles to Oxford Streets, where the Beatty Park is currently located, was gazetted as a Government reserve (Reserve 884) under the control of the Perth Board of Health. The area east of Loftus Street was used as a rubbish tip for some years in the 1890s, while the area along Oxford Street was parcelled off as sites for public buildings such as post office, municipal offices, primary school and police station. In 1905, the remainder of the land was vested in the City of Perth for the purpose of recreation. In 1906, Reserve 884 was classified as a Class 'A' for Recreational Purposes. It is probable that the earliest plantings at the site and its use as a recreational area date from this period. In 1920s, Reserve 884 was named Beatty Park in honor of Vice Admiral Sir David Beatty (later Earl), a World War One hero. In 1962, Perth hosted the British Empire and Commonwealth Games (known as Commonwealth Games from 1978) and the City of Perth Aquatic Centre, was built on the east side of Loftus Street as the venue for the swimming events. The newly-built centre incorporated every aspect of modern pool planning, including three pools, galleries for 5,500 spectators, a dramatic lighting system and a garden cafe. The chlorination plant was the most modern in Australia and an oil fuel heating unit kept the water temperature at 70 degrees Centigrade in all three pools. A Building Licence issued to the City of Perth in 1962 indicates that the cost of the construction for the Aquatic Centre was ₤564,000. H. A. Doust, City of Perth Town Clerk William Allan McInnes Green and City Architect Milton Boyce were responsible for planning the centre. An engineer and architect, W. A. McInnes Green designed the centre after months of study and an extensive overseas tour. The blue-tiled pool was 55 yards long, 24 yards wide, with 8 lanes. The diving pool was 30 metres by 20 metres with a depth sloping to 16 feet. It was a standard size for water polo events, had an air system to create artificial ripples, making it easier for a diver to judge his distances from the surface, and a special observation room with a 5ft square, 3 inch thick underwater window. An innovation for divers was an on-the-spot competitors room at the 3-metre board level, eliminating much of the long climb to the high-tower and walks to and from the dressing rooms. A glass wall enabled resting divers to see rivals in action. The third pool was for children. After the Games, the City of Perth Aquatic Centre, as Perth's premier swimming venue, was a popular and well-frequented place for recreational swimming, as well as hosting uncounted numbers of school sports days, summer holiday swimming lessons and swimming club meets, and providing a training ground for competitive swimmers. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the Aquatic Centre was the venue for beauty pageants, such as Miss Western Australia, and musical performances. In 1977, the Albert Spencer Pavilion was built in the park for the City of Perth. The Aquatic Centre was up-graded, with additional leisure facilities, to designs by architect Peter Hunt, for the City of Perth in 1993-1994, and was re-named Beatty Park Leisure Centre. Beatty Park Leisure Centre was extensively renovated in 1994 to provide more modern pool facilities. In mid 2003, Beatty Park Leisure Park continues in use as a leisure centre, and Beatty Park continues in use for recreation. In 2008 the Beatty Park Leisure Centre Conservation Plan and Beatty Park Redevelopment '“ Concept Plans were adopted by the Town of Vincent.

Integrity/Authenticity

Moderate to High

Uses

Historic Themes

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This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.