Swimming cancelled: A plumbing malfunction means pools at the Peninsula Aquatic Recreation Centre are closed. Pic: Gary Sissons
A PLUMBING problem continues to plague the two main swimming pools at the Peninsula Aquatic Recreation Centre.
The PARC’s main 50-metre pool, aquatic playground and a learn-to-swim pool have been closed for more than a month after a plumbing system malfunction.
Leisure centre management initially predicted the pools would reopen by 27 October but the plumbing problem seems to be more complex than first thought.
“Following a critical failure of the complex plumbing infrastructure within the 50m pool balance tank at PARC, specialist independent consultants have been engaged to assess the cause and to redesign the infrastructure to ensure such an issue does not occur again,” Peninsula Leisure CEO Tim Gledhill said last week.
“Peninsula Leisure is working closely with Frankston City Council on this matter. We are currently waiting to receive the final assessment report before repair works can commence.
“Until the report is received and the substantial works commence, we are unable to confirm when we will reopen.”
The gym, wellness centre and other fitness operations remain open to the public.
Peninsula Leisure Pty Ltd was established in 2012 and is wholly owned by Frankston Council.
The company manages and operates the PARC and the Pines Forest Aquatic Centre in Frankston North.
Councillors voted to reappoint Peninsula Leisure chair Roseanne Healy and board member Phillip Johnson, also the chief financial officer of South East Water, last month until October 2020.
Five Peninsula Leisure board members are collectively paid about $116,000 a year.
PARC won the statewide Aquatic Recreation Victoria Facility Management Award last year.
Council statistics show about 850,000 people visit the sports, swimming and recreation centre each year.
Councillors voted in May to stop Peninsula Leisure “tendering for projects outside of their core obligation, that being the management of PARC and the Pines pool”.
It emerged that Peninsula Leisure had talks with Mornington Peninsula Shire council about possibly managing peninsula sports centres.
The shire announced in August that the management of five of its leisure centres has been outsourced to private operator Belgravia Leisure from 29 October.
Mr Gledhill said Peninsula Leisure will keep PARC members up to date with the progress of the plumbing solution.
