By Jacqui Briggs
The City of Boroondara has owns five leisure and aquatic facilities; Ashburton Pool and Recreation Centre; Balwyn Leisure Centre; Boroondara Sports Complex; Hawthorn Aquatic and Leisure Centre; and Kew Recreation Centre.
The facilities are located within a 4km radius and receive 2.7 million visits from residents each year.
Like many local governments, the City of Boroondara outsources the management and operation of its leisure and aquatic facilities which involves the planning and resourcing of intensive contract tendering processes.
Rather than offer separate management contracts for individual or smaller groups of facilities as it has in the past, the Council decided to offer a single management contract for all five facilities.
In addition, the new, all-encompassing contract is for three plus three plus three years (maximum nine years) with each three-year term being offered solely at the Council’s discretion and dependent on the contractor’s performance.
The tender was advertised across Australia and internationally. The contract was awarded to YMCA Victoria and commenced on
1 July, 2011.
YMCA Victoria executive officer, Gerard Bolger welcomed Council’s approach to the management contract.
“Congratulations to the City of Boroondara on what is an industry leading act.
“They have created the strategic and operational context for Council’s facilities to realise their full potential for the local communities of Boroondara,” Bolger says.
According to Boroondara CEO Dr Catherine Dale, the contract improvements provide certainty for Council and YMCA Victoria.
“As with previous contracts, the City of Boroondara will pay a management fee to YMCA Victoria. But in this instance, Council has also opted for a guaranteed fixed return from the management contractor, which means surety for us.
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