Beatty Park - celebrating the first fifty years: 1962 - 2012

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Beatty Park Aquatic Centre the Local History Centre launched Beatty Park – celebrating the first fifty years: 1962-2012 on 22 November 2012, the date of the first swimming event of the VIIth British Empire and Commonwealth Games.

The book follows the history of the Centre from the choice of the location and subsequent Games through the decades to the 2012 redevelopment, with photographs and extracts from interviews.

The City of Perth Aquatic Centre - now Beatty Park Leisure Centre - was constructed in 1962 as a venue for the VIIth British Empire and Commonwealth Games. Located within Beatty Park on Vincent Street, North Perth, it provided Perth with international standard facilities and was considered the best in Australia. It soon became affectionately known as ‘Beatty Park Pool’.

During the 1960s and 1970s, it garnered widespread recognition from the people of Perth not only for its first class swimming facilities but also as a great venue for events, such as music concerts, before the construction of the Perth Concert Hall and Entertainment Centre.

In the mid 1990s, the Centre underwent a major renovation, which included the addition of indoor pools and gym facilities. The new name Beatty Park Leisure Centre echoed community desires for both fitness and leisure facilities. Ownership changed to the newly formed Town of Vincent (now City).

In 2012, its 50th year of operation, Beatty Park has undergone a major redevelopment creating a more sustainable building and once again transforming itself to reflect the modern needs of a very diverse, and growing City of Vincent.

Books are available for free to pick up at City of Vincent Local History Centre or Beatty Park.

More Information

Contact the Local History Centre on 9273 6534 or email local.history@vincent.wa.gov.au.