Commonwealth Park is firming as a potential new site for a Civic pool, with the future of the park under review, Chief Minister Andrew Barr has revealed.
The National Capital Authority is currently reviewing the park and completing a new master plan for the area, he said.
Mr Barr said there had been "early positive discussions" between the ACT government and the National Capital Authority, which is responsible for the park site.
"The feasibility of it needs to be assessed as part of their master planning process, but they're open to the idea and we've had productive discussions," Mr Barr said.
The current Civic pool, between Parkes Way and Constitution Avenue, opened to coincide with the 1956 Melbourne Olympics and would now take two years of repairs to keep it in long-term use.
The site has long been in the frame for a potential redevelopment, including into a city stadium.
However, Mr Barr has said the site is too small for a stadium, despite it being identified a decade ago as a potential location.
The land was still in consideration for a number of other public buildings, including a new police and emergency services headquarters, he said.
"There's a few sites that we're looking at, but obviously there's not that many and the particularly assets that need to be built are for conventions, live music, and police and emergency services," he said.
Mr Barr has previously suggested the Civic pool site could become home to a music venue to attract mid-scale touring acts to the capital.
However, Mr Barr told The Canberra Times the ACT government was now investigating a number of sites along Constitution Avenue for the music venue.
The National Capital Authority's review of Commonwealth Park could also consider whether the site could also house a new stadium.
The park will be serviced by a new light rail stop as part of the territory government's plan to extend the line from the city to Commonwealth Park and then ultimately to Woden.
The ACT government has switched its focus from a city stadium to an overhauled sport and lifestyle precinct around the Australian Institute of Sport at Bruce, where the ageing Canberra Stadium is located.
However, proponents of a new stadium in Canberra's city centre are understood to have pushed for the facility to be built at Commonwealth Park after Mr Barr ruled out the Civic pool site as a location option.
A review of that scope would also likely need to consider the future of the Catholic Archbishop's residence, which is in north-western corner of the park land.
Mr Barr said he did not believe the house would get in the way of building a pool at Commonwealth Park.
Mr Barr said the principal challenge of redeveloping the current Civic Pool site would be excavating the contaminated site, which has a sewer and storm water line running through it.
"I suspect that any development solution there is going to have to be cap and seal and build on top rather than digging down," he said.
"I don't think it's an area that can have a lot of basement activity."
Mr Barr in March said an announcement on the future of the pool site would be made before the end of the year.
"We'll have some further announcements on that in the not-too-distant future. I would certainly like to have greater certainty this year," Mr Barr told ABC radio at the time.
We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on The Canberra Times website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. See our moderation policy here.
