The operators of Loftus Recreation Centre have been told they must rebuild trust with the City of Vincent if they hope to continue managing the facility beyond 2027, following a series of incidents including an "absolutely unforgivable" disabled toilet access failure.
Council Meeting Highlights Concerns
At the City of Vincent agenda briefing on June 9, community facilities manager Dale Morrissy stated that Belgravia Leisure had improved its financial performance but still needed to restore confidence with the council to renew its lease. The current lease and contract, which began on January 1, 2007, expires in December 2027.
"They have indicated to me that they’re keen to continue on at the end of that period, but they know they’ve got a lot of work to do to gain our trust back if they want to do that," Mr Morrissy said.
Financial Performance and Rent Reduction
The council is reviewing the centre’s operational and financial performance after deciding last August to halve Belgravia’s rent. The reduction followed reports of ongoing operational challenges and financial losses at the facility. Located next to the City of Vincent Library and Community Centre, Loftus features four indoor multi-purpose courts, an outdoor AstroTurf soccer court, a 760sqm gym, group fitness studios, a cycle studio, a cafe, and a creche.
Disabled Toilet Incident Criticized
Councillors raised questions about the condition of the 1979-built facility and management practices after receiving reports that people with disabilities were unable to access a disabled toilet. Mayor Alison Xamon confirmed complaints about "people with disabilities being locked out of the disabled toilets" and maintenance issues such as worn equipment.
Mr Morrissy described the disabled toilet incident as "absolutely unforgivable." He said he had spoken to the duty manager, and changes were implemented, including ensuring a second key was available and reviewing why the facility needed to be locked initially. "At the moment it’s remaining open," he said. "We do have some homeless issues in that area, which is why they went to that step, but they didn’t then put in the second step, which is what’s the backup plan? We’ve discussed that with them, we’ve gone through the process and we’ve come up with a solution."
Maintenance Issues Addressed
Mr Morrissy also noted that Belgravia had resolved complaints about damaged sport netting after discussions with the city. "It’s a simple $9 piece of equipment," he said. "They’ve now got 50 nets on site. So if a net goes out next week, they can replace that nice and quick for the rest of the year."
Complaints and Future Outlook
City of Vincent CEO David MacLennan confirmed the council received 11 complaints about the centre in the past year: five related to maintenance, three to facility conditions and access, two to customer service, and one to parking. "The Loftus Recreation Centre sees almost 200,000 people coming through the facility each year. For a facility of this size we consider this number of complaints to be proportionate," he said.
Mr MacLennan attributed concerns to operational oversight during a period of "staff transition at the centre." He said the city had not issued any formal complaints and was confident the facility was improving after recent meetings between Mayor Xamon, himself, and the new management team. "While these issues are systemic, they have highlighted an opportunity to improve consistency in day-to-day operations," he said. "We will continue to work collaboratively with Belgravia and monitor performance to ensure high standards are maintained."
Mr Morrissy concluded that the centre’s performance was on an upward trajectory and that no further rent relief was being sought. "With that turnaround that we’ve shown in the report, it’s not making a bucketload of money or anything, but it is on an upward trajectory," he said.
