Meet the locals: Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre

BY JADE MORELLINI

The Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre celebrated its 10th birthday on Sunday 27 August, with a day of fun for regulars and visitors to enjoy. Marking the milestone, the Aquatic Centre had free entry all day, attracting around 2000 people.
A range of free activities were also available, from a giant pool inflatable obstacle course, AquaPhysical demonstrations, face painting for the young and the brave, fitness classes, and to top it all, a barbeque on the balcony. Musicians performed to keep up the festive vibe, with an appearance from the Lord Mayor, Clover Moore and Olympians Geoff Huegill and the Aquatic Centre’s namesake, multiple gold medal-winning swimmer, Ian Thorpe.
The Aquatic Centre has a variety of programs on offer for all levels of swimmers. With three pools to choose from, they include a program pool dedicated to swimming lessons and a 50-metre pool for lap swimmers.
The most popular is the leisure pool for recreational swimming, providing a water fountain and bubbles – great for kids! The Aquatic Centre also host birthday parties, school programs, swim squads and water safety lessons. These lessons have been designed to ensure that children from the age of six months have the skills to swim safely, with high quality, experienced instructors.
For those wishing for some time out, the perfect place for relaxation is the spa, sauna and steam room, posing many benefits to the mind and body, and great for post-workouts too.
In addition to the pools, the centre has a modern gym, offering a selection of workout equipment – over 130 exercise machines – and programs, including personal trainers, for members. There is also a fitness and wellness program, catering to individuals’ needs and goals.
The centre hosts group fitness classes, aqua classes and small training classes for those who enjoy exercise with others. These classes comprise of intense workouts, such as Body Pump, Boxing, Zumba and Indoor Boot Camp, while also providing more relaxed, strength-building classes, such as Yoga and Deep Aqua which is low impact.
Memberships are simple and cost-effective, allowing everyone to keep fit while having fun.
The Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre is community-based, with an enjoyable, recreational space for members and visitors to indulge. Accommodating for young families and people with disabilities, the centre provides family change rooms and disability parking, with ramps and aqua wheelchairs available for use.
They don’t only provide entertainment for the whole family, but they also help their members achieve their fitness goals. A café is available for snacks and drinks with healthy options provided.
The pools are open between 6am – 9pm, Monday to Friday, and 6am to 8pm on Saturday and Sunday, with the gym open until 10pm on weekdays.
Further information: http://www.itac.org.au/news