News / Council
New operator to take over Brunswick & Coburg swimming pools
YMCA’s contract will finish at the end of June
Mark Phillips
A NEW private operator is poised to take over management of Merri-bek’s swimming pools this year after the YMCA failed in a bid to renew its long-running contract with the council.
Following a lengthy competitive tender process, privately-owned Belgravia Leisure has won the four-year contract to manage the council’s six pools and leisure centres, including Brunswick Baths and Coburg Olympic Pool.
The new operator is the country’s fastest growing leisure management organisation with more than 250 venues under management around Australia and New Zealand.
Belgravia will take over management of the local centres, which operate under the Active Merri-bek brand, in July.
The new contract ends a relationship of almost three decades between the council and the not-for-profit YMCA, which trades as Y Victoria.
The council decided to test the market and undertake a public tender process for the management its six centres in August last year.
The winner tender was awarded at a special council meeting that was closed to the public on February 25 following an evaluation process involving both internal and external panel members.
An employee at one of the centres, speaking on condition of anonymity, said staff were told of the decision by email on February 26.
They said YMCA management had informed staff last November that it faced a tough fight to retain the contract.
“Everyone in the workplace is a bit terrified of losing their jobs,” they said.
But Merri-bek Mayor Nat Abboud said the council would work with Belgravia so that existing staff would receive offers of employment with the new operator.
“[The] council is looking forward to this new partnership, which offers a cost‑effective outcome for [the] council and ratepayers while maintaining the high standards of programs, services, and centre operations that our community expects,” Abboud said.
“The partnership will prioritise community benefit, with a stronger focus on creating opportunities to get more people, more active, more often at all stages of life particularly those who are least likely to participate.”
The new contract is for four years with two three-year optional extension terms.
The council said the value of the contract was commercial-in-confidence, however, the 2025-26 council budget forecast expenditure this year of $758,000 towards the management, operations and service delivery of the six aquatic and leisure centres through an external provider. This is a 40% increase from 2023-24.
According to the budget, the centres have 983,000 attendances a year, 6700 members and 7400 swim school students.
The new operator is part of the Belgravia Group conglomerate which is controlled by rich lister Geoff Lord, a former President of Hawthorn Football Club.
Y Victoria has held the combined contract to manage Merri-bek’s (then known as the City of Moreland) aquatic and leisure centres for 16 years, but its association with the Brunswick Baths goes back almost 30 years.
Y Victoria CEO Carolyn Morris said the Y would work constructively with Belgravia to ensure a smooth transition.
“Our focus is on supporting our impacted staff in securing ongoing employment and to assist customers and our community during this change … On a personal note, I’m deeply saddened to see the Y’s withdrawal after serving Merri-bek’s community with such heart for the better part of three decades and achieving such strong social impact results,” she said.
Coincidentally, this Sunday, March 15, will be the final Merri-bek Fun Run and Walk to raise funds for the Y’s Charitable Fund to support community members facing disadvantage.
Prior to the handover to Belgravia, the Brunswick Baths will be taken out of action for several months from May for retiling works.
Belgravia declined to comment for this article.
