Client: Tatiara District Council
Timeframe: May 2026 to Current (Estimated October 2026)

LARCAN is currently engaged by Tatiara District Council to undertake a comprehensive Options Cost Analysis and develop a ten-year Aquatic Facilities Strategy for the Keith and Bordertown Swimming Pools. The project builds upon earlier operational and asset investigations undertaken for Council and is designed to establish a clear, evidence-based direction for the future provision, investment and management of aquatic facilities across the district.

The first stage of the current engagement involved a detailed Options Cost Analysis of ten potential facility development scenarios, comprising five options for each of the Keith and Bordertown sites. The assessment considered a range of refurbishment, redevelopment and new facility scenarios and brought together detailed operational modelling, capital cost planning, depreciation and financing implications, community outcomes, risks and long-term affordability. This provided Council with a consistent basis for understanding the financial and operational implications of different levels of aquatic service provision and informing future facility decisions.

With the Options Cost Analysis now complete, LARCAN is progressing the development of the Tatiara Aquatic Facilities Strategy 2026–2036. The Strategy will consider the district’s demographic profile, community needs and demand, existing aquatic provision, regional context and broader industry trends alongside the findings of the Options Cost Analysis. It will establish the preferred future direction for the Keith and Bordertown facilities, consider appropriate management arrangements and identify priorities for future investment and service delivery. 

The Strategy will bring these elements together into a practical ten-year framework for Council, including strategic directions, future facility priorities, funding and investment considerations, recommendations and an implementation plan. This will provide Council with a coordinated pathway for managing its aquatic facilities and prioritising future investment while considering community needs, service outcomes and the long-term financial implications of aquatic provision.

Key services included:

• Options assessment and comparative analysis of future facility scenarios
• Capital cost planning and development cost analysis
• Operational budget modelling and financial sustainability analysis
• Depreciation and finance cost assessment
• Community and stakeholder engagement
• Demographic, participation and needs and demand analysis
• Regional aquatic provision and service gap analysis
• National and global aquatic industry trends analysis
• Future aquatic service and facility planning
• Management model assessment
• Funding and investment considerations
• Strategic directions and future facility priorities
• Prioritised recommendations and action planning
• Ten-year implementation plan
• Governance, monitoring and review framework
• Draft and Final Aquatic Facilities Strategy