350-plus families impacted as Ryde Swimming Academy closes doors at CSIRO owned site

The operator of a long-running Sydney swim school has been left high and dry after being forced to close the centre’s doors to more than 350 young members.

The popular swim academy offered a range of programs for juniors.

The operator of a long-running Sydney swim school has been left high and dry after being forced to close the centre’s doors to more than 350 young members.

The Ryde Swimming Academy has closed indefinitely after the agreement it had to operate at the North Ryde Fitness and Aquatic centre was terminated by major facilities management company Sydney Sports Management Group.

The swim academy has been a focal part of the community for the last decade and offered a range of learn to swim and junior squad programs aimed at building confidence, safety and technique.

That was until March, when academy owner Amanda Carruthers found out the agreement she had to operate at the centre was withdrawn by Sydney Sports Management.

The agreement was terminated after Sydney Sports Management pulled out of its long-term lease to operate at the fitness and aquatic centre which is owned by the CSIRO.

The academy catered for children from the age of one.

Ms Carruthers said she had made multiple attempts for CSIRO and Sydney Sports Management to enable the swim academy to continue at the site but was unable to strike an agreement.

“It’s been devastating because I’ve had to let families know that we’re closing, and let go of my instructors and the employees,” she said. “We had 350 students a week and had sessions for local daycare centres as well and they were heartbroken.

The academy has been closed after a lease disagreement.

“The kids in the program have made friends with each other and all the parents have all got to know each other as well.

“During Covid, kids weren’t able to get in the pool so it’s been really important to have programs like ours to build their confidence and safety in the water.”

Ms Carruthers said efforts to try to find an alternative site to relocate had been stymied by a shortfall of swimming pools in the northern Sydney region.

“I approached every pool – even the council-run pools – to see if I could run the program for a few days a week and there was nowhere with available space,” she said.

The closure has impacted more than 350 families.

It is understood Sydney Sports Management declined to renew its lease, which expired in March, after sustaining financial losses from the fitness centre during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Over the last 12 months, patron numbers have not returned to pre-pandemic levels.

Ms Carruthers said CSIRO also declined her offer to continue operating through an interim arrangement.

“I approached CSIRO and asked for a month by month interim lease to allow for more time to find another centre to run the program from and the answer they came back with was a firm ‘no’,” she said.

“They said if I wanted an extension I’d have to lease the pool and the gym and the sports court at the fitness centre as well which would have been five times what I was paying and way beyond my capacity.

“The pool is now sitting empty. To me that doesn’t make any sense.”

CSIRO in a statement said the organisation “was not involved in or informed of decisions regarding Ryde Swimming Academy as the sub-lease was managed by SSMG”.

Originally published as 350-plus families impacted as Ryde Swimming Academy closes doors at CSIRO owned site