Tank surfing comes to Australia's biggest city!
It’s Wavegarden season! Do you remember, last August, when Wave Park Group’s Andrew Ross told me that ten Wavegarden tanks would be built across Australia over the next years.
Ten of ’em? Really?
These tanks are big-ticket machines that soak up serious real estate. Dress ’em up with cafes and climbing jungles and whatever other “lifestyle opportunities” and you’re fifteen, maybe 20-plus mill in the hole.
Whomever runs Wavegarden’s sales office is doing a helluva job. After all, there’s still only one commercial tank operating, the bedevilled Surf Snowdonia in North Wales.
But, if press releases from Wave Garden Group are to be believed, Melbourne surfers will have their first pool late next year on the site of the old Melbourne Airport Club.
And, just announced, Sydney gets its pool the year after.
Let’s examine last night’s press release.
“Surf’s up! Australia’s second surf park in as many weeks – URBNSURF Sydney – has been announced for Sydney Olympic Park. Perth based Wave Park Group today confirmed that it has been nominated as the preferred proponent over a 3.2ha site located at Sydney Olympic Park. With the expectation that surfing will be confirmed as an Olympic medal sport for the 2020 Tokyo Games, the location is a perfect fit for the future of the sport.
“The estimated $26.5 million development is to be located adjacent to the existing Monster BMX Track and Monster Mountain X developments, adding significantly to this existing public action sports precinct. The recently announced $1bn Parramatta Light Rail Project is likely to have a station adjacent to the facility, which will mean URBNSURF Sydney will be accessible to over two million Sydney residents in under 30 minutes.
“With a north-south lagoon orientation, URBNSURF Sydney has been designed to suit prevailing wind conditions and LED lagoon lighting means there will be surfing night and day. The facility will also feature sustainable design, renewable energy and water saving systems, in keeping with Sydney Olympic Park’s strong environmental sustainability ethos.”
Of course, the proliferation of wave technology and actual wave tanks, does increase the likelihood of surfing being included in the 2020 Olympic Games. Equal playing fields, inland countries not disadvantaged etc.
And that’s…exciting, right?