Victorian community hubs are battling to meet rising energy costs

There are concerns about the wellbeing of older people and babies learning to swim as centres lower pool temperatures to combat the higher price of heating.

Some swimming pools in Victoria are reducing temperatures by as much as 1.5 degrees. Picture: Tony Gough

Swimming pool temperatures are taking a dive by as much as 1.5 degrees as recreation centres across Victoria feel the heat from soaring gas and electricity bills.

Centres are also considering slashing their operating hours amid fears cooler water temperatures will affect patron numbers, the wellbeing of older Australians and babies learning to swim.

Community hubs across the state are struggling to meet the rising energy costs because entry prices need to remain affordable as living costs rise.

The Herald Sun can also reveal ice sports are hiking their fees, places of worship are seeking more donations and independent schools are entering a group energy deal as they grapple with the hikes.

Some pools are considering reducing operating hours. Picture: Tony Gough

Aquatics and Recreation Victoria CEO Kathy Parton said the industry was concerned that Australia could become like the UK, where some facilities reduced pool temperatures, closed showers and were on the brink of closure because it became too expensive to heat water during the energy crisis.

Ms Parton said some large, multipurpose facilities were facing energy bill rises of up to 200 per cent, or nearly $100,000 compared to last year.

“They are reducing the temperatures of pools,” she said. “Some of them are even reducing operating hours.”

Ms Parton said facilities should be “as accessible as possible” because they provide physical, mental and social benefits.

She has raised concerns about the industry’s new workforce following Covid, saying reduced opening hours would have an effect on staff skill levels.

The UK government this month announced a £63m fund to make publicly-owned leisure centres with swimming pools more energy efficient, offering support to those facing pressures from energy bills, maintenance and operational costs.

Ms Parton, who has approached the state government about establishing an “industry energy utilities rebate program” that could also help facilities upgrade ageing infrastructure, said something similar was needed here.

There are fears cooler water temperatures will affect babies learning to swim. Picture: Sam Wundke

BlueFit manages 40 centres across the country. More than a dozen are in Melbourne including Melton Waves, BayFit Leisure Centre in Altona, Windy Hill Fitness Centre in Essendon and Sandringham Family Leisure Centre.

Chief executive Todd McHardy said they were facing “hundreds of thousands of dollars of increases”.

The temperature of lap pools generally sits around 26-28 degrees, kids’ pools around 30-31 degrees, while hydrotherapy pools are 33-34 degrees.

But Mr McHardy said it had slowly reduced the temperature of the pools by 1-1.5 degrees, especially at outdoor facilities and those with big, old and expensive infrastructure such as gas boilers.

“We don’t want to be turning down pool temps,” he said.

“You’ve got babies starting (lessons) at four months. If the water is too cold their lips turn blue pretty quick. You’ve got swim teachers in there for hours on end.

“We don’t want to end up like the UK.”

Mr McHardy said reducing the pool temperatures, investing in pool blankets and reducing hours would only reduce costs by 5-10 per cent.

“We still need to be screaming out for rebates, or infrastructure, or price caps,” he said.

“The industry really does need the government to come out and do something.”

Independent Schools Victoria chief executive Michelle Green said energy bills were a significant part of school operating costs, with student fees relied heavily on to meet the payments.

Ms Green said it had sought to ease some of the financial pressure on its 230 member schools by entering a group purchase agreement with a major energy supplier which offers “significant cost savings”.

An Islamic Council of Victoria spokesman said some mosques would be looked at their bank balances as Ramadan starts due to cost increases across the board.

“Some mosques will struggle to provide services that they normally do,” he said.

“Many mosques will need greater support from the community.”

The Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre is working to reduce its energy consumption and achieve 100 per cent renewable electricity by 2028, in a bid to save money on the “large amount” of electricity and gas required to heat and cool its spaces.

A spokesperson for the Victorian Government said energy prices, particularly for gas, are increasing as a result of the war in Ukraine.

“Victoria is not alone in seeing energy price increases, with other eastern Australian states and territories also experiencing significant energy price increases,” they said.

“Due to our investments in renewable energy, Victorian wholesale power prices are still the lowest in the National Electricity market.”

A spokeswoman for federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen said the government was taking “urgent action” to shield Australian families and businesses from the worst of these energy price spikes.

“Our Energy Price Relief Plan is limiting coal and gas prices, and will provide targeted energy bill relief for households and businesses,” she said.

“Since the announcement of the intervention … forecast wholesale prices for 2023 have dropped by 34 per cent in Victoria.”