Leisure and Recreation Group to manage Cowra Aquatic Centre

Cowra Shire Council has advised that, after conducting a tender process to deliver the best results for the local community, it has awarded the contract to manage the Cowra Aquatic Centre to the Leisure and Recreation Group (L&R Group).

As reported by The Cowra Phoenix, the family-owned L&R Group currently operates seven separate facilities across NSW, which includes aquatic centres and pools in Cobar, Cootamundra, Condobolin, Lake Cargelligo and Ungarie.

Announcing the management transfer, Cowra Shire Council General Manager, Paul Devery stated "Council sees this as a positive move for the Cowra community and we will now move to the next step of transitioning the management of the Cowra Aquatic Centre to the Leisure and Recreation Group.”

Pleased with the contract win and ready to begin operations at the Centre, L&R Group General Manager, Angus Westaway advised "L&R Group manage a family of seven community facilities for regional councils. Our high-performance management philosophy drives L&R venues to deliver safe, fun and healthy environments.”

Westaway added that L&R Group is investigating a range of initiatives to give incentive for locals to come to the Cowra Aquatic Centre, although the entry fees are controlled by the Council.

Commenting on the transition, Devery noted "throughout this process, Council has sought to get the best result including not just price but also service quality.

"Council expects that local employees will continue to be engaged by the new operator and we thank the Leisure and Recreation Group for their commitment to a successful and seamless transition.”

Hoping that with the warmer months approaching and that the local community will take full advantage of the facilities, Westaway added “we have the freedom as a smaller organisation to move fast and respond to community needs. Our staff will be dedicated to this community and this facility, the people of your local government area.

“We can act fast without corporate barriers and we pride ourselves on having more daily operational visibility to ensure safety and compliance are championed.”

Image: The new management team at the Cowra Aquatic Centre. Credit: L&R Group.