DMR Leisure win 5 year contract for Mackay War Memorial Swimming Centre
It’s not every day a passionate pool manager and water educator gets the chance to run the pool where she first learned how to swim. Read how her memories of growing up poolside inspired her to restore it as the ‘heart’ of her hometown.
Mackay
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In January 2023, Mackay’s original swimming pool will have a very special new caretaker after years of controversy.
Millie Volpe grew up learning to swim at Mackay War Memorial Swimming Centre and her love of the water has never waned.
Already running three swim centres, her family business DMR Leisure won the Mackay Regional Council tender for the heritage listed pool on November 9.
Ms Volpe recalled her mum Donna first swam at Memorial Pool after emigrating from New Zealand and soon brought her young Aussie kids with her.
“All my memories as a child were following my Mum (and) swimming at that pool,” she said.
“We were always around swimming pools (and) just grew up (going) to the Memorial while mum would do her masters.
“It’s just a part of our family, being around water.”
Donna was an elite swimmer who represented New Zealand and joined masters swimming under celebrated Mackay swim teacher Pat Wright.
Describing herself as “Mackay born and bred”, that love for swimming was impressed early and often on Ms Volpe and her brother Robert Davie.
Now Donna, Ms Volpe, and Robert form DMR Leisure and manage Glenden Swimming Pool, Dysart Swim Centre, and Mirani Swimming Pool and Caravan Park respectively.
Ms Volpe said “we love what we do”, but that Memorial pool continued to hold a special place in her and her family’s life.
“It’s the only pool I really ever associate with my childhood,” she said.
“Even my (68-year-old) father … he grew up in Mackay and he has fond memories of that pool too.
“Rocking up and there’d be hundreds of bikes lined up, that was the place to go.
“That was where everyone went.”
Built in 1963, the Memorial pool has been centre stage in Mackay summer memories for decades.
Yet even Ms Volpe said times had changed with the arrival of other, newer aquatic centres in the region while Memorial suffered through alleged underfunding.
Concerns have been floated about its future ever since the opening of Bluewater Lagoon in 2008, just down the road from Memorial, and more recently the expansive Mackay ARC in 2019.
Mackay Regional Council attendance data suggests a serious drop from 34,245 visitors in 2016-17 to 12,540 in 2021-22.
But Ms Volpe said the five year management contract would provide consistency for both the public and staff.
“It’s about getting it back to be the heart of Mackay again,” she said.
“(To) try and create those memories for people that I had.
“I think the future is bright.”
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