Anthony Albanese, Minister for Infrastructure and Local Government, and Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities, Bill Shorten, have announced the Rudd Government has offered more than $2.7 million towards the upgrade of the Waterworld Aquatics Centre at Ridgehaven in Adelaide.

Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities Bill Shorten, was in Ridgehaven today for the announcement with Member for Makin, Tony Zappia, and the City of Tea Tree Gully Councillor, Graeme Denholm.

The Rudd Government is investing in community and sporting infrastructure to support jobs and stimulate local economies during the global economic recession.

It brings Rudd Government investment in Tea Tree Gully community infrastructure alone to nearly $4.8 million in the last 12 months.

This project, which is managed by the City of Tea Tree Gully, will deliver a modern aquatic facility to serve the local community. It is a much-needed upgrading of a 38 year-old facility. The proposed upgrades will also pay attention to the needs of people with disability and make it easier for them to use the facility. They include a new twin water slide, a splash ground, a new cafe area, filtration upgrades and building improvements to improve the layout and design of the facility.

This upgrade will give the Tea Tree Gully community more opportunities to have fun and get healthy.

The funding is part of the Rudd Government’s $800 million Community Infrastructure Program – the largest one-off investment in local infrastructure in Australia's history.

It builds on further Rudd Government community infrastructure funding for the City of Tea Tree Gully including:

•  $373,000 for three local projects this year;


•  $1.07 million we have committed for the Harpers Field Development; and


•  $625,000 towards the Tilley Reserve building refurbishment.

Nearly 70 per cent of the stimulus package is infrastructure, with construction projects already underway. More than 3,000 projects are being funded through the Government’s Community Infrastructure Program across Australia to support local jobs.