North Queensland management group secures five-year contract for Mackay War Memorial Swimming Centre

Mackay Regional Council has advised that it has awarded the contract to manage its Mackay War Memorial Swimming Centre to North Queensland-based operator DMR Leisure Pty Ltd.

The company will take over the management of the Centre in January next year from current operator Belgravia Leisure after being awarded the tender at the Council’s most recent meeting on 9th November.

In a statement, the Council advised “prior to entering into the new agreement, council reviewed the term of the contract and extended it from a two-year contract (with the option of a one-year extension) to a five-year term (with the option of two one-year extensions at council’s discretion).

“This will give DMR the opportunity to invest in staff and form a good working knowledge of the Memorial Swim Centre from both an asset point of view and a client point of view.”

The Council statement added “DMR will be appointed as the official operators of the facility in January 2023, which will give them time to recruit staff and gain a better understanding of the assets they will be maintaining.”

Built in 1963, the War Memorial Swimming Centre was the town’s main aquatic facility until the opening of the Bluewater Lagoon in 2008 and, more recently, the Mackay ARC in 2019.

Since then, Council attendance data suggests a serious drop from 34,245 visitors in 2016/17 to 12,540 in 2021/22.

As a result, Mackay Mayor Greg Williamson said the cost to run the facility going forward totalled almost $610,000 per year, excluding GST, which was $197,000 more than what was estimated.

Mayor Williamson commented “the costs of operating this facility have increased significantly.

“This is due to the current economic climate, the increasing costs of employing staff, the heritage listing increasing the cost of repairs and the term of the contract being extended.

“Council will need to request increased funds for the operation of this facility in a future budget review to cover the additional costs of running this swim centre.”

Understood to be owned by the Mackay-based Volpe and Davies families, DMR Leisure currently operated the Glenden Swimming Pool, Dysart Swim Centre and Mirani Swimming Pool and Caravan Park respectively.

Current operators Belgravia Leisure will continue to manage the facility the New Year so it can remain open over the December school holiday period.