By NATALIE GALLENTI
A LOCAL residents’ group is fed up with the state of Melton Waves leisure centre and is calling on the council to address their concerns immediately.
President of the Cambridge, Coburn and Watts Resident Association Nathan Miles said in recent meetings the group had raised a number of fears regarding the state of the centre which is owned by Melton City Council and managed by private business Belgravia Leisure.
Describing the popular facility as in “disrepair, unhygienic and filthy”, Mr Miles said the CCWRA had serious safety concerns for Melton Waves’ patrons.
“Melton city residents deserve better than this. The facility is in disrepair, unhygienic and filthy. There are serious safety concerns with squashed food along the pool decks posing a danger to people falling and injuring themselves,” a statement to Star read.
“There are also concerns that the food waste and rubbish is entering the water itself. Rubbish over-filling from bins, soiled underwear and kitchen waste is among other serious concerns.”
“Those with a disability are unable to shower properly as the disabled toilets and change rooms have no shower head holders.
“We ask council to immediately take action to rectify this situation. The community’s health and safety must come first. Residents of the Melton City Council have a right to have a clean and well maintained water facility which currently we do not have.”
Council’s Leisure Services Manager Adrian Burns said the council was set to undertake refurbishment works at the centre, which was first opened in 1995, in May this year.
Mr Burns said around $250,000 would be spent on internal and external painting, new carpet from foyer to gym, upgrade to partition screens in family change rooms and re-tiling the shower area in the family change area.
“Cleaning of the Melton Waves facility is the responsibility of Belgravia Leisure. The pool concourse is washed down every evening to remove the day’s build-up of dirt and debris. The floor is then chemically scrubbed with strong degreasers. A minimum of three times each week the floor surface is pressure washed with industrial cleaning equipment to remove any dirt ingrained into the floor surface,” he said.
He said centre staff were instructed to complete regular cleaning throughout the pool hall to account for rubbish that develops throughout each day of operation.
Water quality is tested manually every four hours to ensure that levels were maintained in compliance with Health Department regulations.
