AusLeisure

Leisure Management Services (the LMS Group) is looking forward to the second year of operations at the refurbished former Altona Leisure Centre in suburban Melbourne.

Now known as the Bayfit Leisure Centre, the facility was reopened in 2008 after an extensive $12 million redevelopment. Key to this redevelopment, largely funded by the Hobsons Bay City Council and the Victorian Government was a $2.3 million investment in the facility by long-term contract managers the LMS Group.

The redevelopment included a new 25-metre, eight lane pool, a new learn to swim and leisure pool with water play features, a new warm water program pool, a spa, steam room, aerobics room, a large gym (equipped with the latest Matrix and Star Trac equipment), new change facilities for the aquatic areas, a 30-place creche and a cafe.

The building also included the latest environmentally sustainable design features including storm water recycling, solar energy, and the reuse of heat from the pool water. A highlight of this is the use of the facilities old pool to catch rain and storm water which is then recycled to top up the new pool.

As long term manager of the adjacent golf course, and having managed Altona Leisure Centre since 2003, the LMS investment marks a new type of public:private partnership (PPP).

With the security of a new 21-year lease, LMS Group Managing Director Don Hartley explains, "knowing the facility and with the security of a long-term lease, we felt confident in making this investment in the facility."

Hartley adds that key factors in making their investment decision "are of our knowledge of the facility and how we can maximise our revenue from its operations and our excellent relationship with Hobsons Bay City Council.

"Throughout the redevelopment we were able to work closely with the Council and the architects (the LM Design practice) and the result has been a facility that we are very happy to manage."

Explaining the success of the facility, Hartley adds "the gym, which opened in the middle of last year already has over 3,000 member and we also have over 2,000 enrolled in the swim school.

"In some respects the facility has been so successful that we now probably need more space for pool programs and the gym, and more car parking spaces. Fortunately, the design is flexible enough for us to be able to expand to meet this high level of visits."

Hartley believes what has happened at Bayfit Leisure Centre represents a new type of PPP, that, rather than being driven by developers and builders "results from the facility manager being able to carefully pick their site and how it will operate."

In day-to-day operations, Hartley also feels it is "essential that the contractor control the facility and program pricing."

With this successful development behind them, the LMS Group are now looking to a $5 million investment in a driving range and other improvements at another of their managed facilities, the Elsternwick Golf Course.

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