Pictured left to right: Brent Harvey, Kapiti Coast District Council Recreation Manager, Irene Malone, Mount Albert Aquatic Centre Manager and Mark Blake, Belgravia Leisure GM New Zealand.

Belgravia Leisure’s Mount Albert Aquatic Centre team was awarded the New Zealand Recreation Association’s (NZRA) Outstanding Pool Award last week at the NZRA Recreation conference.

Belgravia Leisure New Zealand General Manager, Mark Blake, said Mount Albert Aquatic Centre won the award for its creative programming and diverse staff recruitment.

“Our partnership with the Aqua Artist Chinese Swimming program enables us to teach swimming and water safety skills to over 280 adults and children per week in the Mount Albert and surrounding region,” he said.

The program forms approximately 20 per cent of Mount Albert Aquatic Centre’s total swimming and water safety program, and will be used as a model to roll out across other Belgravia Leisure aquatic sites in New Zealand.

“Mount Albert Aquatic Centre is also a local hub for our seniors’ community, with a wide range of Green Prescriptions programs on offer to help people stay healthy, active and maintain their independence.”

Belgravia Leisure was commended for appointing a Green Prescriptions aqua aerobics class instructor senior citizen Evelyn McColl who regularly attracts classes of up to 40 people.

“Our customers appreciate the diversity of our local team, with many staff speaking a language other than English and with varied cultural backgrounds,” Mr Blake said.

“We train and employ young adults through to seniors who resonate with our customers because our stakeholders represent all life stages, from babies to the elderly.”

Belgravia Leisure praised the local community for supporting Mount Albert Aquatic Centre.

“We would like to thank our customers for their ongoing support with a special mention to Mount Albert Grammar School for their cooperation, and also acknowledge the Albert-Eden Community Board, the Mount Albert Community Swimming Pool Trust and Auckland Council for entrusting Belgravia Leisure to manage this outstanding community facility,” Mr Blake said.

Mount Albert Aquatic Centre is owned by The Mount Albert Grammar School Community Swimming Pool Trust and proudly managed by Belgravia Leisure. The indoor aquatic centre welcomes over 350,000 visitors per year, delivers swimming and water safety lessons to over 900 students, and offers competitive squad programs, aqua aerobics and onsite child care.

Visit mountalbertaquatics.co.nz.