CRÈCHE UPDATE

Sunday 2/8/20

Our Crèche will be reopening on Wednesday 5th August! Exciting times!
Booking are essential as we are limited to 8 children per session. Our sessions are:

• 9:15AM – 10.45AM
• 11.00AM – 12.15PM

Watch this space for more information on our crèche structure or give us a call on (03) 58734644

SHF UPDATE

Thursday 30/7/20

Firstly a big thank you to everyone that has been able to visit us and get back into your health and fitness programs, to those that are still unable to make it across and to our wonderful staff team who are dealing with constant challenges and changes every day. Your patience and support is well recognised and greatly appreciated.

As we have previously highlighted, our first aim was to re-open in a way that ensured we were fully able to meet all COVID related obligations and expectations. Once this was complete our next target was to bring all our other programming online, which we are continuing to do.

The closure of the border has provided us, like so many others, with some very significant challenges. We are working through these and hoping to be able to introduce some of our classes and programs in Cobram for our Victorian based members and our staff that can’t join us as they reside outside of the resident zone. We cannot promise that we will be able to pull this off, but we are trying. We hope to be able to provide further updates on this over the next few days.

Below are some additional changes, that add to previous updates as shown on this section of the website.

MEMBERS

1. Due to border restrictions all Victorian memberships will remain on suspension. Victorian based members who are able to utilise the facility with medical/border clearance will be re-activated on a case by case basis.
2. All NSW members have been re-activated, and the first direct debit run will occur in August.
3. Corporate memberships are being dealt with directly with employers, who will communicate specific arrangements with their employees.

CRECHE

1. The creche will re-open on Wednesday the 5^th It will have a revised operating structure based on COVID requirements.
2. There will be a maximum of 8 places available each session.
3. Places will need to be booked. Bookings can be made on site or by visiting the Centre.
4. To provide some fairness of access, there will be two sessions, being 9.15am to 10.45am and 11.00am to 12.15pm. Places in each session are to be booked in advance
5. As part of our COVID plan, there will be no toys and children will not be able to bring toys. We know this is challenging; however, it is only under these conditions we feel we can meet our COVID operating obligations.

GROUP FITNESS

1. The Group Fitness program is continuing to expand. Please monitor the website and our social media channels for updates.
2. Bookings will still be required for all classes. These can be made by phone or visiting the Centre.
3. We are currently working on several avenues to provide some classes for our Victorian based members and hope to be able to provide further updates over the next few days. 

PERSONAL PROGRAMS

1. We will be reaching out to all members (NSW based ones initially) over the next few weeks, to re-engage and fire up the motivation again to get everyone going on the goals that have had you joining us in the first place. Our closure, COVID and winter have provided some big bumps in the road, but now that we have been able to get ourselves re-established, now its time to put our energy back where we like it best and that’s helping you on your health, fitness and wellbeing journeys. This is why we are here and what gets us most excited.

LEARN TO SWIM

1. Term 3 will re-commence on Tuesdays 4^th There are still some places available for NSW based residents.
2. If you have not already used it, please remember that you can use your $100 Active Kids voucher to assist with the cost of Learn to Swim classes. If you have not used or are unsure of how to access the Active Kids voucher, please contact us as we can assist you.
3. We are working on providing some form of Term 3 classes for our Victorian participants and hope to have more news on that over the next few days.

GENERAL COMMUNICATIONS

With the rate of change that is occurring we have had to continually review our best method of updating and staying in touch with our members and facility users.

Traditional mail, we believe is not appropriate, as by the time we print and send the update, the next round of changes is likely going to be upon us.

We had used Email, however found that it was only reaching less than half of all members as some members prefer not to use this method, some have changed addresses and some Email providers filter our Emails.

While we know that not everybody follows social media, we will continue to provide updates there as it does seem to reach many.

SMS has seemed to be effective, but we are very limited in the amount of information we can provide. We will continue to use this method with links to the website where more detailed information will be provided.

LEARN TO SWIM UPDATE

Wednesday, 22 July 2020

FITNESS CLASS UPDATE

Thursday, 16 July 2020

Starting Monday we will be re-commencing Group Fitness Classes but in a reduced fashion as we continue to ensure we provide our facilities and classes in a responsible way.
For this first stage:

* We are still unable to provide the creche
* All classes will be limited to 15 participants
* Places can be booked by calling the Centre on 58 734 644 or dropping in (we are working on being able to do this online)

Once these are established we aim to bring more classes on line each week until we are back to our full Group Fitness Schedule.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call or message us.

Can’t wait to see you back!

SPORTIES HEALTH AND FITNESS UPDATE

Wednesday, 15 July 2020

So.….we are in to day 3! Its great to see some people back in the pool (albeit in a very responsible social distancing way) and the gym is well and truly up and running! Our team have done a great job getting us up and going and we really appreciate the patience of everyone who has visited so far as we deal with a few small teething issues. The feedback so far though is that it is easy to get here (with the Border Pass) and get in and there’s plenty of room and everything is being cleaned and maintained. We had a visit from the Regional Inspector today who checked off our plan and operations with a big tick of approval! We are currently looking at our Group Fitness classes, Creche and Learn to Swim and hope to be able to provide some timelines as to when these will come online again over the next few days. Looking forward to seeing more of you over the next few days!

SPORTIES HEALTH AND FITNESS RE-OPENING RESTRICTIONS

Tuesday, July 7 2020

In order to operate safely and within all guidelines and recommendations linked to COVID-19 requirements, the facility will open in the following stages:

Stage 1

On Monday, 13th July we will open the gymnasium only. On Wednesday 15th July, the pool will open for lap swimming and injury rehabilitation by booking only.

A maximum of two people at any one time will be allowed in the reception area. We ask that is you see two people already in reception that you line up with approriate social-distancing out the front.

Below are the maximum capacities of each space:

• Gymnasium 25 People
• Court (including functional equipment) 15 People
• Upstairs area (Primarily Circuit Room) 18 People
• Swimming Pool – 3 People per lane

Please be mindful of the space  limits and what are traditionally busier times and if possible adjust your visiting times outside of these.

Bookings for lap swimming will be available from opening on Monday 13th July.

Operating hours will be normal.

Future Stages

Once we develop a better understanding of our capabilities and loads and any COVID changes we will begin to bring other activities online such as group fitness classes (including aqua), recreational and leisure swimming (including families), swimming clubs and squads and learn to swim classes. We will continue to communicate advances in planning and implementation as this occurs.

Covid Safe Operations

As part of our Covid Safe Commitment we will be asking all visitors to sign off on the following Covid Safe Commitment.

Our covid safe commitments are as follows:

• Limiting the number of people in reception to two at any one time
• All members and guests are to sign in (members please ensure that you have your membership tag with you)
• Extra hand sanitising stations will be located throughout the centre
• Extra equipment sanitising
• Extra staff on to ensure centre is cleaned regularly
• Nightly deep cleans
• Physical distancing and number limiting for each space
• Booking system for classes and lap swimming
• Card payments preferable

From our members and guests:

• Please stay home if unwell
• Adhere to physical distancing (1.5m) – This includes using equipment close together. Please be mindful if someone is using the equipment next to the piece you wish to use and please wait
• Use of a towel at all times. This is important and compulsory. Please ensure you do not forget your towel.
• Wash hands regularly and use of sanitiser provided
• Clean equipment before and after use
• Keep an eye on numbers and if too many people are in the area take it upon yourself and please do not enter
• To keep congestion down and adhere to physical distancing if at all possible please shower at home.

Before being able to utilise the facilities, you will be required to either print and sign the following commitment below or sign the electronic copy

SPORTIES HEALTH AND FITNESS SET TO RE-OPEN

Wednesday, 24 June 2020

Sporties President Gary Hunt today announced that following a huge show of support by the broader community and the Moira and Berrigan Shire Council’s Sporties Health and Fitness is set to re-open.

“This is fantastic news” Said Mr Hunt. “The level of community activation over the last few weeks did not surprise us at all. We would actually have been really surprised and disappointed had that not occurred. It was never a case of us not knowing or understanding the value of Sporties Health and Fitness to our community. Through our members, we have provided these facilities and programs for 30 years and the stories that have been so prominent in social media, shared online and through letters and Emails are ones we hear regularly. We know Sporties Health and Fitness changes peoples lives and its something that makes us very proud”

It was in this context that the decision to close the facility indefinitely was not made lightly. It was in fact one of the hardest decisions, if not the hardest decision that this Board has ever had to make.

The harsh realities of our current operating environment however really took a lot of our choices away.

The Sporties Group exists to make our region a better place to live. We invest heavily in our community, by more than $1m every year by providing funding to others and providing facilities and services such as Sporties Health and Fitness, the Cobram Barooga Golf Club, Barooga Bowls, and Barooga Sports Club. Many of these rely on significant operational subsidy each year. With the coronavirus having a devastating and immediate impact on the overall operations and still there being high levels of uncertainty about its future impacts, it was simply not possible for us to continue this support at previous levels.

This did not mean however that we lost hope or that we did not keep working to find a solution or way forward to get Sporties Health and Fitness re-opened.

The resolution by Moira Shire Council passed at last night’s Council meeting to provide $50,000 funding support for the next two years, matching the $50,000 that Berrigan Shire resolved to provide last week provides a solid foundation on which we can build to work through this current very difficult period and focus on a long term sustainable operational model for Sporties Health and Fitness. The Sporties Group will also contribute $50,000 each year.

This show of support by the Moira and Berrigan Shire Council’s is welcomed and appreciated. This is a genuine partnership approach to providing access to facilities and programs that make a real difference and contribute in such a positive way to the liveability of our area. It is a recognition of the importance of Sporties Health and Fitness and the efforts and work of all the staff that give their best every day.

I would like to acknowledge our staff who have been through a really difficult rollercoaster ride over the last 12 weeks. As we have stated previously, Sporties Health and Fitness is well used, people value the level of service and it is ran very efficiently from a financial perspective. Its not just us saying this. We base this view on recognised industry benchmarking and the feedback from users, much of which many people have seen and shared.

We would also like to acknowledge everyone who came forward to share their stories, voice their concerns and their support and in particular the Save the Barooga Pool movement and the small team that coordinated that group and were able to clearly articulate just what Sporties Health and Fitness means to so many.

We are not naïve to the terrific challenge that lays ahead. Through the investment by the Berrigan and Moira Shires along with our contribution we now have 2 years to work on long term sustainability. We are encouraged by the engagement and ground swell of community support and know we need that sustained both by way of being involved and using the centre, not just now, but for the long term.

From here our immediate goal is to focus on re-opening as early as practicable and in a way that meets all covid-19 related obligations and requirements. We will provide further updates as we understand what that looks like and the associated time frames.