AusLeisure

Blacktown City Council's Emerton Leisure Centre has been named IQ Pierce 2017 Facility of the Year in the Aquatic and Recreation Institute (ARI) 2017 Awards.

Announced at the ARI’s 53rd Annual Conference and Trade Show in the Hunter Valley this week, the Awards recognise excellence in the NSW aquatic and recreation industry.

For Blacktown City Council, this marks the second year in a row that one of its centres has won the award, with Blacktown Leisure Centre Stanhope having won in 2016.

Welcoming the receipt of the award, Blacktown Mayor Stephen Bali stated “the AH Pierce Award recognises aquatic facilities that have demonstrated best practice in the operation of their business in the aquatic industry and Blacktown City Council aims to be building the best.

“Winning this award for a second year in a row is an astounding achievement.

“Given that Mount Druitt Swimming Centre also took out a state award from Parks and Leisure Australia last year, we are very proud that our residents and ratepayers of have access to multi-award winning facilities.

“It says a lot about the high quality of services Blacktown City Council provides to the community.

Key areas recognised by the award include: community engagement through unique and innovative programming, high quality facilities, and implementing leading customer service practices to meet the needs of the growing community.

Led by Centre Coordinator, Lachlan Lawless, the team at Emerton Leisure Centre has had a run of exceptional results receiving a 5-star Royal Life Saving Society assessment and 97.75% Safe Work NSW Audit, the highest result ever by Blacktown City Council.

Mayor Balis added “we are proud of the team at Emerton Leisure Centre who always go above and beyond to demonstrate Council’s core values.

“We have had 300,000 patrons walk through our doors in 2017 and we hope to welcome many more.”

The Centre is due to be renamed the ‘Charlie Lowles Leisure Centre Emerton”’ later this year to recognise the service of the late ‘Mayor of Mount Druitt’, Emeritus Mayor Charlie Lowles.

Full list of ARI award winners:

• IQ Pierce 2017 Facility of the Year - Emerton Leisure Centre 
• Royal Life Saving Society NSW Lifeguards of the Year - Darby Judd & Thomas Higginson of Dawn Fraser Baths (Inner West Council)
• Orimatech Award of Excellence Winner - Stan Wall, Lifeguarding Services Australia
• ARI President's Award Winner - Matt Griffiths, Royal Life Saving Society NSW

• Roejen Sustainabilty Award - Bay & Basin Leisure Centre
• Roejen Cusotmer Service Team of the Year - Lake Macquarie Leisure Centres 

Blacktown Leisure Centre Stanhope was the winner of the ARI’s Facility of the Year Award in 2016.

The ARI is also supporting the NSW Public Health Unit in staging a free-to-attend Public Swimming Pool and Spa Forum on 1st August 2017 at Sydney's Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. 

Topics covered in the forum include:

• Diseases associated with swimming pools and spas
• Cryptosporidiosis – how notified cases are investigated and managed
• Swimming pool standards and legislation
• Swimming pool operators perspective on Cryptosporidium management
• Swimming pool operators communication strategy – responding to Cryptosporidium issues
• Swimming pool chemistry and pool testing equipment
• Oxidation Reduction Potential explained
• Water splash parks
• NSW Health educational material
• Smoke free environment requirements relevant to swimming pools

The forum is for swimming pool staff from within the Sydney Local Health District and is not available to pool operators outside this district. 

Staff attending the forum will be given the latest information, have an opportunity to ask questions and to network with colleagues from different centres within the district.

For more information contact Elle Thompson on email: publichealth@sswahs.nsw.gov.au

Images: Blacktown Mayor Stephen Bali with the Emerton Leisure Centre staff team and their ARI Award (top), Aqua Zumba at the Emerton Leisure Centre (middle) and Matt Griffiths receives the ARI President's Award from Colin Kane (below).

Article amended 27th June 2017 to include quote from Blacktown Mayor Stephen Bali.

21st June 2017 - ARI LAUNCHES FACILITY MANAGERS MENTORING PROGRAM

29th May 2017 - AQUATIC AND RECREATION INSTITUTE HOLDS 53RD ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN NSW HUNTER VALLEY 

12th January 2017 - BLACKTOWN AQUATIC CENTRES HELP WESTERN SYDNEY RESIDENTS BEAT THE HEAT 

10th August 2016 - EMERTON LEISURE CENTRE TO MARK 10TH BIRTHDAY

27th July 2016 - ARI ENCOURAGES NSW AQUATIC FACILITIES TO SIGN-UP FOR ACTIVE AGEING PROGRAM GRANTS

29th June 2016 - AQUATIC AND RECREATION INSTITUTE AWARDS NSW INDUSTRY EXCELLENCE 

8th June 2016 - EMERTON LEISURE CENTRE HELPS EXERCISERS BEAT THE WINTER BLUES

14th September 2015 - ARI GETS BACKING FOR NEW ACTIVE AGEING PROGRAM ROUND 

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