The group has been in operation for 13 months and states it aims to be a catalyst of change and advocate for action.

"We're a local think tank with six members, and we've made quite a lot of progress," said member Maria Hitchcock OAM.

"We investigate issues and projects and meet with stakeholders and experts and publish reports which at this stage will be once a month.

"This month, we are looking at hydrotherapy pools and wellness centres knowing that the town has a problem with its hydrotherapy pool which was closed down in 2019 and that there is urgent action required to try to get another pool."

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At the November ordinary Armidale Regional Council (ARC) meeting, the interim administrator Viv May decided that no further action be taken in relation to the hydrotherapy centre project.

This was in response to a peer review undertaken by the Otium Planning Group, who found the project was undervalued in terms of cost because a full business case was lacking, and most regional hydrotherapy pools run at a loss, with the biggest costs being staffing and heating. Acting ARC general manager John Rayner said at the time the hydrotherapy pool project exposed the council to considerable financial risk if allowed to continue.

However, NSW Stronger Country Communities funding of $1.46 million and $2.3 million from the Federal Government's Building Better Region Fund had already been successfully secured by Armidale Regional Funding.

And at its ordinary council meeting in January, ARC unanimously agreed to continue to explore options for a hydrotherapy centre for Armidale without incurring cost and to lobby for state government funding.

New England Vision Institute member Alun Davies presented alongside Maria Hitchcock in the public forum at last week's ordinary March council meeting.

"MP Adam Marshall has told me that the funding granted was tied to the project, but today I have heard that maybe that is not so, and I would be very upset if that money is sent elsewhere as this a really important project," Ms Hitchcock said.

Mr Davies and Ms Hitchcock said they held an online meeting in February with the director of Otium Planning, Michael King, to discuss various ideas and ways to move forward with the project.

"Mr King has been involved with the development and planning for a range of aquatic, leisure and community centres in Melbourne and Sydney, and if it's done properly, it will actually make money rather than lose money," said Ms Hitchcock.

"He suggested we look at establishing a wellness centre with a warm water pool, not a hydrotherapy pool.

"Apparently, hydrotherapy pools have all sorts of regulations attached to them that you don't have with a warm water pool."

Ms Hitchcock and Mr Davies presented a wide range of aquatic complex models to the councillors - from those with pools, spas, saunas, water slides and child care facilities to a public/private partnership where a hydrotherapy pool is attached to an aged care complex.

Mr Davies said he thought the complex to best suit Armidale would probably cost about $30 million.

"This project is just an extension of where we are heading with Armidale because we are really starting to get some runs on the board, and things are starting to change," he said, citing the NBN rollout, Armidale Secondary College build, Armidale Airport and UNE Smart Farm as examples.

"We're getting a reputation for getting things done, and this pool is something we need to get done.

"There are a lot of smart people in Armidale, and if we put our heads together, we can make it happen.

"Now it is time to move on because this is what it is like to build a modern city in regional Australia."

Mr Davies said the COVID-19 pandemic had caused people to rethink living in cities and make a move to lifestyle locations.

"This is the sort of thing we need to build Armidale, and we have the brains here and the people to do it," he said.

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Ms Hitchcock emphasised the New England Vision Institute was not telling the council what to build.

"What we want is an expert to come here and do a feasibility study," she said.

"You have had Otium Planning do a peer review, but that is only part of the study - why not finish it?

"Get them back to do a feasibility study."

But according to the New England Visions Institute, the wellness centre needs to be a multifunctional facility.

"That is what you have got to have in regional areas because our population base is fairly small," Ms Hitchcock said.

"We need it to cover health, rehabilitation, exercise, leisure, and we need it to cater for all ages groups.

"So we are asking for funding of about $35,000 to be budgeted for a feasibility study."

Once the council has an adopted plan, they can look for other funding, Ms Hitchcock said.

"So that we end up with a project that is a real eye-opener and a great asset for our community," she said.

"There is a real sense of optimism in Armidale, and the key to this is identifying good projects and getting them done, and this is a good project."

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