Last year, a decision by Edward River Council to award a management contract to a Sydney based business, rather than renew a volunteer-led community group to manage the Deniliquin Swim Centre had the community up in arms.
More than 1400 people signed a petition calling on council to reverse their decision, supported by an extensive social media campaign.
The Pastoral Times also received several letters to the editor and calls from local residents, angered and shocked by council’s decision.
Now another not-for-profit community operated council facility is facing a similar fate, with the tender of the Deniliquin Stadium expected this month.
It will be the first tender process in 21 years for the stadium.
The stadium’s volunteer committee is made up of the same members that were on the Deniliquin Swim Centre’s volunteer committee.
The Pastoral Times understands the council owned facilities financially supported each other, with the Deni Swim Centre revenue helping to subsidise costs at the Deniliquin Stadium, under the previous management agreement.
Residents have already taken to social media to voice their concerns about another non-local entity taking over the stadium.
“Many sports facility managers do not run their own programs like junior basketball, netball, senior basketball. They simply look after the facilities and then hire them out to user groups,” one user posted.
The not-for-profit community group operating the stadium facilitates several sporting competitions every year including netball, cricket, table tennis, badminton, lifeball and basketball.
Community groups including Kurrajong, Yarkuwa, OOSH along with schools and both the Deniliquin Rams and Rovers also use the centre.
The stadium was also used as an evacuation centre during last year’s floods.
“It’s important for ratepayers to get value for money, but the Deniliquin Swim Centre process occurred seemingly quietly and I think it’s important for the community to understand this process and that is happening very soon,” a stadium user said.
Since council’s decision last year to award the Swim Centre contract to the Sydney-based Lifeguarding Services Australia, community members have relayed many complaints about the new operators and their alleged service changes.
Residents have reported needing to travel outside of Deniliquin for swimming lessons and even small businesses being forced to find a new location away from the centre to conduct swimming lessons and fitness classes.
“I feel it is important to ensure the community is aware that due to the council’s tender process, the local community based not-for -profit organisation (who had been managing the pool for past nine years ) was unsuccessful against this Sydney-based private company and the pool contract includes exclusive rights to pool activities like swimming lessons and water aerobics,” Leanne Mulham said at the time.
“As a result, a number of small businesses can no longer conduct their businesses from the Deniliquin Swim Centre.”
Edward River councillors Harold Clapham, Shirlee Burge and Pat Fogarty moved a rescission motion in an attempt to have the pool decision reviewed, but the motion was lost on August 26 last year.
Expressing his personal views to the Pastoral Times after the vote last year, Cr Clapham said the tender process must be used as a learning experience.
“How a volunteer organisation was treated and handled in this process does not do justice. This process, in no way, can be considered as appropriate for a community organisation.”
He said other councils have a formal policy in regards to locals participating in tender processes, and said given the opportunity he will move that Edward River has one similar.
“Where there are community tentacles involved, like the pool committee donating back to the the local community, this should be given more consideration.
“As far as I know Edward River Council does not have such a policy, and if I am afforded the opportunity I would like to move that there should be.”
Cr Clapham said while he respected the democratic process which saw Lifeguarding Services Australia awarded the tender, he believed the process of arriving at the decision was flawed.
“When the decision involves a community based organisation, and a volunteer driven one at that, I believe council should be provided more holistic and transparent information.
“We are a small town with an ageing population, and the fabric of this community is entirely dependent on volunteering and community support - without either of those there is no community.
“We need to be working with the community, and not have community groups such as this - one with such influential volunteer members - feeling disenfranchised.”
Deniliquin Stadium’s manager John Arthur said the committee has a good relationship with council staff, and he is hopeful they would win the tender.
“Council has a duty to get the best deal for the stadium, we just hope our track record is acknowledged,” he said.
Mr Arthur said the team of volunteers and committee members have dedicated 21 years service to the stadium.
“The committee was formed back in 2002, with volunteers Graeme McKindlay, Craig Druitt, Tom Wheller and more recently Melanie Kennedy all giving up their time to help run the centre.”
Mr Arthur said Katrina Ives had been volunteering for 18 years, often spending several nights a week running sports competitions.
“We’re definitely putting in for the tender and we really hope we get it,” he said.
Edward River Council was offered the opportunity to comment on the stadium tender process. It was unable to meet our deadline for this edition.