Brimbank City Council looks at long-term impact of new Brimbank Aquatic and Wellness Centre

Counting down to the opening of the new Brimbank Aquatic and Wellness Centre, Brimbank City Council is undertaking a study into the long-term impact of the innovative health and wellness hub.

Investigating the future impact of the new facility, currently approaching completion on the site of the former St Albans Leisure Centre in Keilor Downs, the Council is working with Victoria University on the study to better understand how local infrastructure and the Centre can improve the longer-term health and wellbeing outcomes for the community.

When it opens, the Centre will be a vibrant and welcoming multi-generational health and wellbeing hub with a state-of-the-art aquatic and leisure facility, while also offering preventative health, education and social services, all under the one roof.

Commenting on the Centre’s potential, Brimbank Mayor, Jasmine Nguyen advised “the exciting new Brimbank Aquatic and Wellness Centre is a fantastic example of how to combine social health outcomes with infrastructure development (and) this study will measure the impact of this unique facility over the long-term.

“Our aim is to learn how the combination of easy access to state-of-the exercise facilities, health and wellbeing services all under one roof benefits the health of a community.

“The information collected through this study will help Council evaluate future initiatives to improve the health and wellbeing of our community, especially those in our community who experience disadvantage for a range of reasons.”

In preparation for operating the facility, the Council has consulted with stakeholders and developed an establishment plan drawing on the expertise of the Centre’s management team, and other recently opened major facilities of its type, to ensure all the operational needs for the new facility have been considered.

Looking to achieve the Centre’s health aims and using the facility to address critical social and health challenges in Brimbank, the Council have offered Distinctive Options tenancy at the Centre.

Distinctive Options aims to deliver on individual’s National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) plan outcomes, with a focus on developing independent living and other fundamental skills as well as developing local connections and engagement, and providing social and emotional support.

The Distinctive Options offerings will further complement the services to be delivered by the other co-located tenant partners; CommUnity Plus Services Ltd and Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand.

With the Council in ‘planning mode’ for operating the facility post construction, Mayor Nguyen added “what makes the Centre unique is that it’s been designed as a place where the community can exercise, be healthy and have fun while also accessing health and wellbeing services all under the one roof.

“This will be particularly important given our community’s vulnerability to the health, wellbeing and socio-economic impacts from the prolonged pandemic. The hub is strategically positioned to become a Support Centre for Melbourne’s west and will help us rebound from the COVID-19 crisis.

“All of this important work is supported by partnerships with CommUnity Plus, Good Shepherd, and Council is thrilled to offer Distinctive Options a tenancy at the Brimbank Aquatic and Wellness Centre.”

The new Centre has aslo been recognised for its sustainable design by the Green Building Council of Australia.

Images: Concepts for the soon to open Brimbank Aquatic and Wellness Centre. Credit: Brimbank City Council.