BELGRAVIA Leisure was appointed the new facility manager of Mill Park Leisure Centre and Whittlesea Swim Centre at this month’s City of Whittlesea council meeting.
The city’s panel of administrators voted to award a contract to Belgravia Leisure for a term from October 2020 to the end of June 2022, with the option to extend the contract as far as June 2025.
The total cost of the contract is $972,603 for the initial term to June 2022.
Administrator Bruce Billson recused himself from voting after declaring a conflict of interest as a director on the board of an unrelated organisation alongside the chief executive of one of the organisations that tendered for the management of the centres.
In Mr Billson’s absence, administrators Lydia Wilson and Peita Duncan both voted to award the contract to Belgravia Leisure.
Three other tenders were received in addition to Belgravia’s bid, which council officers deemed the best value on a list of criteria that weighed price, capability, capacity and impact.
Ms Wilson said Belgravia Leisure was an industry leader for aquatic and leisure centre management, with a focus on high-quality customer service and advanced technology applications.
“The tender was awarded following a detailed tender process and acknowledges Belgravia’s position as an industry leader in leisure centre management,” she said.
“Belgravia Leisure is an experienced operator who manages more than 200 facilities across Australia and New Zealand and has opened eight new and redeveloped centres in Victoria in the past two years.
“We were attracted to Belgravia’s very strong understanding of customer service and technology, which is important for our facilities, particularly our much-anticipated state-of-the-art Mill Park Leisure facility.
“Awarding this tender is a great outcome for our community. We have secured a very knowledgeable operator who aligns with our Active Whittlesea objectives while delivering innovative customer-focused innovations to our aquatic and leisure facilities.”
Mill Park Leisure is in the final stages of a $25 million redevelopment, and is due to open in the first quarter of 2021.
Whittlesea Swim Centre operates seasonally and will open on November 1.
Ms Wilson thanked Whittlesea YMCA for the service and commitment the organisation has provided at Mill Park Leisure and Whittlesea Swim Centre in recent years.
“Council appreciates the support of WYMCA and looks forward to continuing working together at other facilities within the city,” she said.
