Blacktown Key Venues spotlights its latest aquatic and leisure centre achievements

The last month has seen Blacktown City Council’s aquatic and leisure centres and centre staff recognised and awarded for their high-quality services and dedication to the community of Blacktown City and beyond. Blacktown Key Venues shares these aquatic and leisure centre achievements.

Passionate Learn to Swim instructor Tania Sheehan secured the prestigious AUSTSWIM ‘Teacher of Adults’ for New South Wales.

Sheehan is an exceptional instructor who has worked at Blacktown Aquatic for nine years, and taught swimming for 10 years. She is continually updating her knowledge and sharing her skills and experience of swimming and water awareness with her students.

Sheehan makes a connection with her adult students as she is able to relate to them from an adult’s perspective and with cultural awareness. Being of a multicultural background where people may not have had the opportunity to have swimming lessons or it may not be seen as a recreational activity, allows Sheehan the ability to relate to the multicultural community. Through her own experience of learning to swim as an adult, she is able to relate to and inspire students having experienced and overcome the same trials and tribulations as she did. 

The hardworking teams at Blacktown City’s aquatic and leisure centres have also prevailed in the 2022 Blacktown City Local Business Awards, where all centres and programs were selected as finalists in their respective categories.

Blacktown City Mayor Tony Bleasdale enthused “we are delighted that our aquatic and leisure centres have overcome the many challenges that were thrown our way over the last two years and continue to deliver the best possible services and programs to the Blacktown City community.

“These awards are a wonderful recognition for the teams across the venues. During what turned out to be a COVID-impacted year, the centres welcomed 1,348,171 visitors through their doors.

“Blacktown City is a sporting city and we are proud to encourage a happy, safe and healthy place for the community to live, work and play.”

Blacktown City’s aquatic and leisure centres and centre programs have been selected as finalists in the following categories:

• Aqua Learn to Swim (Stanhope) - Outstanding Education Service

• Blacktown Aquatic Centre - Outstanding Fitness Services

• Blacktown Leisure Centre Stanhope - Outstanding Fitness Services

• Blacktown Tennis Centre Stanhope - Outstanding Specialised Business

• Riverstone Swimming Centre - Outstanding Fitness Services

• Kidz Blitz Holiday Program (Blacktown) - Outstanding Specialised Business

Blacktown Aquatic Centre, as well as Fitness Instructor Marlee King are nominees in the AUSActive Awards Program 2022. Blacktown Aquatic Centre has been nominated for the Multiservice Business of the Year and King for Aqua Professional of the Year.

King works across multiple venues teaching Aqua Zumba, but most frequently at Blacktown Aquatic Centre and Mount Druitt Swimming Centre. Her passion for all things aqua is undeniable. Her enthusiasm is an inspiration to all because she loves what she does and consistently demonstrates a dedication to improving her craft.

Mayor Bleasdale congratulated the centres and their dedicated staff who make it all possible noting “we are committed to providing the community with first-class facilities, programs and activities across all levels of sport, leisure and recreation.”

The winners of the 2022 Blacktown City Local Business Awards and the AUSActive awards Program 2022 will be announced later this year.

For more information about the aquatic, tennis and leisure centres and their programs please visit blacktown.nsw.gov.au/keyvenues.