Latrobe City Council is pleased to announce it has accepted a tender from the YMCA to operate the Gippsland Regional Aquatic Centre (GRAC) now under construction in Traralgon.
The decision followed a comprehensive and competitive tender process. The YMCA has substantive experience in successfully operating similar recreational facilities on behalf of councils in other municipalities.
The YMCA will collaborate with Council to provide industry leading programs that deliver improved recreation, health and wellbeing outcomes to the community while ensuring GRAC’s financial sustainability. In addition to core operational duties at GRAC, the collaboration with YMCA will provide educational opportunities and significant social and economic benefits to the community, including employing local people, particularly youth, and purchasing goods and services locally wherever possible.
The collaboration with YMCA has no impact on any current Latrobe Leisure staff. Latrobe Leisure will continue to manage and operate existing centres under its current scope of responsibility.
The opening of the GRAC will provide an estimated additional 100 plus operational jobs in Latrobe City, the provision of a major recreational facility for the community and the opportunity to conduct major regional sporting events to enhance tourism opportunities in the wider Latrobe and Gippsland region.
Construction of the GRAC continues to advance in line with best practice guidelines to ensure the safety of workers during the COVID-19 pandemic with completion scheduled for early 2021.
It is planned that the centre will be opened to the public sometime after February, subject to the relevant COVID restrictions easing, and a transition and testing phase being undertaken by the YMCA.
The construction of GRAC has been made possible by funding from the State Government’s Latrobe Valley Sports and Community Initiative.