CERM PI research team looks for input in latest survey of aquatic and recreation centres

The CERM PI research team from the University of South Australia is inviting input for its yearly trends survey of expensive recovery and membership types in aquatic, recreation and sport centres.

CERM PI has been conducting this survey for over three decades, providing important benchmarks and internal-yearly comparisons of centre space, visitation, membership, equipment, receipts, expenditure, utilities, human resources, wages, fees and more - for a diverse range of facilities across Australia.

Commencing their annual national aquatic, recreation and sport centre benchmarking survey - otherwise known as the operational benchmarking (OM) survey - CERM PI notes that “with inflation continuing to remain high, exploring, understanding and comparing expenses, specifically around utilities, may be of utmost importance.

“And while the last three years of study have demonstrated some variable changes in energy and water expenditure, some centre types have seen a steady increase.

“For instance, centres with only indoor pools have experienced energy cost’s share of expenditure increase from 8.3% in 2021 to 10.1% in 2022 to 10.5% in 2023. Similarly, centres with only outdoor pools have witnessed water cost’s share of expenditure increase from 3% in 2021 to 3.8% in 2022 to 4.3% in 2023.

"Interestingly, recreation centres without pools have reported a decrease in their energy cost’s share of expenditure with centres over 2000 square metres reporting that to be at 8.5% in 2021, 6.8% in 2022, and 6.3% in 2023, and centres less than 2000 square metres having 2.5% in 2021, 2.3% in 2022, and 2.2% in 2023. This may follow with the finding that expense recovery for dry centres has been steadily increasing since 2021 where centres greater than 2000 square metres having 85% and centres less than 2000 square metres having 78% expense recovery compared to 99% and 82%, respectively, in 2023. Alternatively, aquatic centres had slight dips in expense recovery from 2021 to 2022, which then rebounded in 2023, especially in the case of centres with both indoor and outdoor pools (70% in 2021 to 69% in 2022 to 78% in 2023).

“This year, expenditure may be even easier to calculate and compare with other centres as we are collecting data on internal transfers. This will add further detail and insights which may be especially useful to council managed facilities. Also new to this year’s survey, there are now questions that ask about outdoor play space area, number of pools, number of free visitations, and cost of chemicals such as dry acid and salt.

“Furthermore, CERM PI has also streamlined the reports making it easier to compare your individual report to the benchmark bulletin published at the start of the new year. And to make comparisons even easier, centres can opt in to have complimentary percentiles provided so you can better understand where your centre stands amongst others in Australia.”

Registration to participate in the current 2024 CERM PI OM survey for are now open, at a cost of $245 (GST exclusive) per centre.

Click here to register interest or email: cermpi@unisa.edu.au to ask any questions.