A number of regional councils are struggling with the high costs of heating and cooling with a number of municipalities forced to shut down public facilities.
Snowy Monaro Regional Council has closed the Jindabyne Pool due to the discovery of mould during a routine investigation linked to a HVAC system upgrade project.
For safety reasons the council decided to close the facility until remediation works can be completed.
Jindabyne Pool will not be reopened until a post-remediation verification is completed by an independent environmental health consultant. This cannot occur until the HVAC system is replaced, which may also require structural steel repairs to be undertaken ahead of HVAC system replacement.
Meanwhile, the Central Coast Council is struggling with the high cost of maintaining its Peninsula Leisure Centre.
According to Council’s 2021-22 operational plan, $3.85 million needs to be spent on replacing the Peninsula Leisure Centre’s Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system this financial year.
Another $300,00 will be spent on upgrading equipment at the gym.
The Peninsula Business Chamber told the Central Coast Community News that due to the high cost of running the Peninsular Leisure Centre the council should consider privatisation.
Chamber president Matthew Wales said that from the day it was built the leisure centre has the council millions every year just to maintain and run.
Central Coast Council has ruled out any prospect of the Peninsula Leisure Centre being sold pointing out that it is a community asset.
- With Australian Leisure Management
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