AusLeisure

Following the abrupt ending of the YMCA NSW’s contracts at the City of Sydney’s Cook+Phillip Park Aquatic and Fitness Centre and Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre on 31st March, Belgravia Leisure has completed their management transition at the facilities.

The premature ending of the YMCA NSW’s management saw the City of Sydney award the contracts to Belgravia Leisure using the rarely used procedure of an uncontested tender. While unusual, the uncontested tender allowed the popular facilities to continue operations and removed any need for the City to temporarily take on management of the facilities themselves.

Belgravia Leisure, who also operate the City’s outdoor facilities at Andrew (Boy) Charlton Pool, Prince Alfred Park Pool and Victoria Park Pool were able to quickly expand their operations to ensure a largely seamless transition that had minimal impact on members and users. Disruption was limited to the Centres closing earlier than normal at 6pm on 31st March to enable the transition behind the scenes.

The transition involved the introduction of new management, financial and reporting systems, including the acquisition of member databases; and the re-employment of the majority of staff.

A statement from the City of Sydney on this explained “most programs and services, with the exception of YMCA owned programs, will continue.”

The new management has resulted in no changes to memberships, multi-pass tickets or learn to swim arrangements.

However, with regard to memberships and future developments, the City of Sydney statement added “there are also some exciting changes ahead, including new cardio and spin equipment being delivered by Belgravia Leisure at both centres by end of this year as well as a new addition to the 360 membership, which is being designed for families.”

Introduced at the beginning of 2015, the City of Sydney's 360 membership enables holders to visit any of the City’s aquatic and recreation facilities using the one card

Neither the City of Sydney or the YMCA NSW have given any reason for the ending of the contacts, although the challenging design of each facility (both were designed as high profile architectural landmarks by architects with no prior experience of aquatic facilities) and resultant high operating costs are believed to have been a factor in the change.

Images: Cook+Phillip Park Aquatic and Fitness Centre and Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre.

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