Splash worth the cash
SOUTH Gippsland Splash leisure centre is running at a loss but South Gippsland Shire Council will continue to fund and expand the Leongatha facility, saying the community highly values pools.
Council’s recreation coordinator Ian Murphy said SG Splash cost council about $385,000 last financial year, excluding council expenditure on maintenance and equipment replacement that cost an extra $190,723.
Maintenance included replacing light fittings in the pool and stadium, sanding and resurfacing of the stadium floor, and general maintenance.
For the same period, Splash returned an income of $956,433.
“The cost to South Gippsland ratepayers is a little less than the average cost achieved in similar rural councils that have a full year heated pool facility, based on the statewide Local Government Performance Reporting Framework statistics that are required quarterly by the State Government,” Mr Murphy said.
This financial year, council will spend $70,000 developing detailed designs of dry programs and gymnasium spaces, and a review of warm water program pool designs.
Council has earmarked a further $1.975 million in 2017-18 and $1.17 million in 2018-19 to construct the gymnasium, dry programs and warm water exercise pool.
Mr Murphy said, “The community has consistently demonstrated to council that the aquatic facilities within the municipality are highly valued community assets.
“Council continues to work with the operator to ensure the centre is operating as effectively as possible while continuing to provide services to a broad range of users.”
By the end of May this year, SG Splash was on track to receive more than 105,000 visits for the financial year. Of these, 25,000 were swimming lesson visits, 7000 aqua aerobic or Aqua Movers visits, more than 10,000 stadium visits, and 10,000 school visits.
“Over the past 10 years Splash attendances have been very consistent and an average around 103,000 visits per year,” Mr Murphy said.
The proposed warm water programs pool will offer water aerobics for older adults and people with disability, and rehabilitation activities such as physiotherapy, arthritis support and sports injury recovery.
The pool will measure 9.5m by 11.5m and will operate at 34ºC plus. Extra changerooms will be built to complement it.
The dry area programs area is proposed to include a gymnasium/weights area of 400 square metres and an activity room of 200 square metres.
“These facilities will allow for full range of fitness activities as well as use for health services. They will provide a dedicated temperature controlled space allowing greater range of group activities such as aerobics, yoga and personal training activities, rather than having to share spaces that are only intermittently available such as community halls and sports stadiums,” Mr Murphy said.
The community raised $680,000 over three years towards the construction of SG Splash, which made a major contribution to the initial capital cost.
Making a splash: Narelle Salmon from Leongatha exercises at South Gippsland Splash leisure centre as often as she can.
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Posted by Tayla Kershaw on Oct 4 2016. Filed under Featured, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry
