Ballarat leisure operations allowed to reopen

After a three-week closure of their combined premises, Ballarat leisure operators Major League, Spartan's Gym, Ballarat Ten Pin Bowling Centre, Ballarat Indoor Go-Karts, Laserforce, pool venue Chalk It Up and Existdance along with several other businesses, have reopened.

An emergency fire safety order on their combined premises on the city's Howitt Street, was lifted this week. The order had been introduced when it was discovered that the buildings sprinkler system had been covered by false ceilings installed.

Ballarat City Council Chief Executive Anthony Schinck told local newspaper The Courier that the affected business owners had done a lot of work on their premises, stating "they now meet all the minimum requirements for safety.

"We have satisfied ourselves through the fire engineer's report that the sprinkler system has been recovered."

Schinck said there were still minimal works needed to be done by the building owner, adding "we will continue to work with the property owner to help him complete the remaining works, along with the fire engineer, over the next 60 days but they don't represent an immediate risk."

Ballarat Ten Pin Bowling Centre Manager Shannon Munro said she was relieved the "longest three weeks of her life" were over, with the business reopening on Tuesday.

Munro explained that the three-week closure had cost the owners "tens of thousands of dollars" while Ballarat Indoor Go-Karts owner Nigel Kaye was aiming to get his renovations finished for a Friday opening, stating "we've got the pressure on to get all these renovations finished to give the public of Ballarat a nice, new venue to come to."

Kaye told The Courier it had been a tight battle financially but he had held on in the hope he would open again.

Schinck said the order still applied to a few businesses where further work needed to be done, including work at the Chalk It Up venue.

He concluded "we have been incredibly impressed by the way the businesses have come together.

"They have done an extraordinary amount of work over the past two weeks to bring the facility up to a standard that meets minimum requirements."

26th April 2013 - FIRE RISK SHUTS DOWN BALLARAT LEISURE OPERATIONS