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Belgravia Leisure has revealed that is has been awarded a 10-year lease to manage Randwick City Council’s new Heffron Centre in the Sydney suburb of Maroubra.

The appointment of Belgravia Leisure prior to construction of the $58 million community sporting complex - set to commence in late 2021 - is significant in that it should ensure an operator’s perspective can be given during the building phase, something that is all-too-often overlooked in new facility projects.

Being built where the existing indoor sports centre and gymnastics buildings are located at Maroubra’s Heffron Park, the complex will include an indoor sports centre, gymnastics centre and will be the new home for the South Sydney Rabbitohs.

Commenting on the robust procurement process undertaken, Randwick Mayor Danny Said advised that the Council considered Belgravia Leisure’s tender submission had demonstrated an ability to provide the most substantial program of diverse sporting activities for people in our community of all ages and skill levels.

Mayor Said advised “this is a landmark moment in the development of new high quality community sporting facilities in Heffron Park.

“As part of the Our Community Our Future program, Council committed to building modern indoor sports facilities on Heffron Park. Infrastructure only comes to life through its operations. To ensure the community is supported into the future by an operator that can cater to all ages and skill levels, the procurement process was one of the most detailed and extensive ever undertaken in Council’s history.

“The new sporting complex will feature an indoor sports centre, gymnastics centre and new home for the South Sydney Rabbitohs who will move their headquarters and Souths Cares community outreach work from their spiritual home of Redfern into their south-east supporter heartland of Randwick City by the end of 2022.

“It is funded by Souths and all three levels of Government and has been seven years in planning. It will deliver more than 200 jobs during construction and more than 60 ongoing jobs through the operation of the facility.

“It will be a true community sporting facility for the whole community and provides Souths with the opportunity to expand their Souths Cares community outreach work with our local schools and young people.

“Council has appointed a head builder and centre manager with extensive demonstrated experience in their relevant fields and I’m confident the partnership will provide high quality and well-run community facilities that will deliver for our communities for decades to come.

“The evaluation of the tenders was undertaken by an evaluation committee comprised of specialist Council staff, independent governance experts and a probity advisor. In addition, an independent cost benefit analysis was undertaken comparing Council running the centre with outsourcing,” says Mayor Danny Said.

The state-of-the-art community gymnastics facility will cater to all skill levels from beginner to elite athlete and will be able to operate seven days a week up to 10pm. The facility will offer an extensive gymnastics program including kindigym, gym fun and gym skills programs, team gym, women’s and men’s competitive squads and artistic gymnastics programs.

The indoor sports centre will also operate seven days a week up to 10pm with two multi-purpose sports halls to accommodate sports such as netball, basketball, badminton, volleyball and futsal.

Construction of the Heffron Centre is expected to be completed in late 2022.

Images: Concepts for the new Heffron Centre in the Sydney suburb of Maroubra. Credit: Randwick City Council.

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