Preferred provider appointed for management of Council’s pools

BELGRAVIA Leisure has been appointed as the preferred provider for the management of Wakefield Regional Council’s three Swimming pools.

Council, alongside volunteer committees has been managing Balaklava, Owen and Hamley Bridge throughout the pool’s renewal phase over the past five years, seeing through the transformation and repairs across all three sites.

With ever evolving risk, safety, costs and compliance associated with these facilities it was unsustainable for Council to manage the pools with a need for an experienced third-party provider to manage the facilities.

Before the 2024/25 swimming season Council started to explore the available options to help best manage the facilities. At the July ordinary meeting, Council voted to proceed to a request for tender to gauge potential providers.

Council went to open tender in late July to finalise a provider that could manage the pools on behalf of Council.

Belgravia Leisure was appointed as preferred provider at a special council meeting on September 15, 2025, with administration now entering contract negotiations.

Mayor Rodney Reid said appointing Belgravia Leisure as the preferred provider would ensure Council’s three pools could be run safely and successfully throughout summer.

“Belgravia Leisure manages 80 Local and State Government facilities across Australia and New Zealand, they have the understanding of how these facilities need to be run,” Mayor Reid said.

“There’ll be a highly collaborative approach that Belgravia Leisure will bring to the running of the pools, working with Council and the pool committees to ensure a high level of service.

“Local staff will still be needed for the day to day running of the pools and Belgravia Leisure will have a focus on engaging local suppliers to invest back into our region.

“Users of the pool should notice minimal changes across the three sites, swimming lessons, school swimming carnivals and other pool activities will still be facilitated.

“I’d also like to thank all the committees and volunteers across all three swimming pools that have contributed tirelessly over the many years that our pools have been open.

“The efforts of our committees and volunteers have helped activate these community hubs and I hope we will see continued support for our pools over the coming summers,” Mayor Reid said.

Subject to contract negotiations, Belgravia Leisure will take over the management of the pools for the next two years, handling lifeguards, opening hours, and upkeep of the pools.

Council will now work with Belgravia Leisure in the lead up to the summer swimming season to transition to them taking over management of the pools.