Covid restrictions inflict $1.2 million loss on Ballarat Aquatic and Leisure Centre

Pools owned by the City of Ballarat are only now beginning to recover from the financial blow dealt by the pandemic.

Ballarat’s largest indoor pool suffered a net income loss of $1.2 million because of Covid restrictions.

Ballarat’s premier indoor pool suffered a $1.2 million net income loss because of Covid restrictions.

Pools across the region are only now beginning to recover from the financial blow dealt by the pandemic in the 2020 to 2021 financial year.

In the City of Ballarat’s mid-year budget review, adopted at a council meeting on February 23, it was estimated the net financial impact of Covid restrictions on the council’s operating surplus was $1.5 million.

The Ballarat Aquatic and Leisure Centre was said to have contributed the most to that figure with $2 million in lost revenue and $800,000 of savings.

The price of maintaining all public pools shot up in the 2020 to 2021 financial year such that each individual pool visit cost the council $35, compared with six cents a visit in the previous year.

Visitation to all pools during the same period stooped to 0.46 visits a person based on the Ballarat population.

“Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the Victorian Government restrictions that have been enforced, we have seen our aquatic facilities be heavily impacted over the FY’s 21&22 with closures or limited services available at facilities,” the council document said.

But in the six months to the end of 2021, some of the data showed signs of rebounding.

The 2021 to 2022 results showed visits to pools were equal to the Ballarat population – that is, there had been the equivalent of one visit per resident – and the cost to the council per visit decreased to $10.80.

City of Ballarat CEO Evan King said lifeguard shortages were still forcing some outdoors pools to close.

“Due to lifeguard shortages, we are finding the visitation trend difficult to assess, as our ability to open all our pools has been impacted, although the Learn to Swim program is now at its highest-ever enrolment levels and the gymnastics enrolments are 10 per cent above last year’s levels,” he said.

“The City of Ballarat expects our aquatic facilities will return to their past income expectations in the 2022/2023 year.”

There have been no staff reductions or permanent pool changes as a result of the lost income.