Swimming centre’s 30th celebrated

A MAJOR milestone for one of the region’s key recreational facilities was acknowledged last week.

With the Ballarat Aquatic and Lifestyle Centre turning 30 this year, the City of Ballarat joined centre staff to celebrate the occasion.

Mayor Tracey Hargreaves visited the site to ring in the anniversary.

She said the facility has served the community well for decades.

“We are incredibly proud of the impact the Ballarat Aquatic and Lifestyle Centre has made to the residents of Ballarat and the wider region each and every day,” Cr Hargreaves said.

“We hope the open day will give people a chance to come and celebrate with their family and friends, or perhaps revisit the centre if they haven’t been in a while.”

Established on 14 December 1994, the site was initially known as the Ballarat Aquatic Centre and was managed by the YMCA before changing hands to the municipality in 2015.

The open day was held on Saturday to coincide with the milestone, with visitors able to check out the site’s offerings or participate in free group fitness and children’s gymnastics classes.

The centre’s aquatic and leisure services manager, Gerald Dixon, said the future looks bright for the three-decade-old recreational hub.

“We’re committed to continuing to provide quality services and programs that offer even more opportunities for the Ballarat community to live happier, healthier lives,” Mr Dixon said.

A key upcoming development for the site is to implement two new Changing Places facilities with an emphasis on accessibility, with construction scheduled to begin next year.