This information was issued at 6:3pm on Saturday 21 March 2020.

The Australian Prime Minister announced earlier this week (Wednesday 18 March) that non-essential gatherings of greater than 100 people at indoor venues will no longer be permitted in a bid to halt the further spread of Covid-19 (Coronavirus). An indoor venue is defined as a gathering within a single enclosed area such as an area, room or premises that are substantially enclosed by a roof and walls.

In an announcement made earlier Friday 20 March the PM also advised that all non-essential activities in venues including cafes, pubs and clubs, would now be subject to a restriction of one person per every four square metres.

Facilities such as gyms, indoor fitness centres and swimming pools are not required to close at this time provided these requirements for social distancing and hand hygiene can be met.

In consultation with Albury City Council and Wodonga Council, we have reviewed our operations and will be implementing the following precautionary control measures over the coming days:

WODONGA SPORTS AND LEISURE CENTRE

• The temporary suspension of swim school activities effective from Friday 20 March 2020.
• Commencing from 8.00am on Saturday 21 March 2020:
  • The temporary closure of the sauna.
  • The temporary suspension of all health assessments and program shows.
  • Capacity signage installed throughout the centre.
• A reduction of opening hours, commencing Monday 23 March 2020:
  • Monday to Friday: 6.00am – 7.00pm
  • Saturday and Sunday: 9.00am – 12.00pm
  • No change to 24/7 gym access
• A modified Group Fitness Class Timetable to reflect current attendance trends and opening hours, commencing 23 March 2020.

All remaining services remain open and available for you to enjoy including our gym, pools, childcare and stadium.

OUTDOOR POOLS AT ALBURY, LAVINGTON AND WODONGA WAVES

• A reduction of opening hours, commencing Monday 23 March 2020:
  • Monday to Friday: 6.00am – 9.00am and 4.00pm – 7.00pm
  • Saturday and Sunday: 9.00am – 3.00pm

Sesson Pass Holders for these facilities will be permitted to access Wodonga Sports and Leisure Centre using their existing pass in line with the regular outdoor pool season dates.

More specific information regarding some of these measures is available at the end of this article.

While there are no known visits by a Covid-19 carrier to any of these facilities, these precautionary actions have been taken in line with the Government’s recommendations in an effort to protect the health and safety of our country, and to minimise the impact on our health care system in the wake of this crisis.

Group Operations Manager, Simon Bryson said that as there are no known specific risks associated with the activities held at these facilities, and we were committed to ensuring they remained open to help support the physical, mental and social health of our community.

“Public health and safety continues to be our number one priority, and while there may be some inconvenience to our members and guests as a result of these changes, we hope that these precautionary actions work as a positive step towards slowing the spread of the virus.” said Mr Bryson.

“We are currently working to contact all of our valued members and guests to ensure that they are kept fully informed as this situation unfolds, and to help support them through these understandably nervous times.”

It is unclear at this stage if further measures will be implemented, with any decision to be based on advice from the Australian Government. These measures will also impact several our staff, we are working to support them as best we can and hope to be in a position for them to return to normal work schedules as soon as possible.

As the situation continues to unfold, you are encouraged to follow our social media pages and website for the latest information on our operations.

If you have any concerns for the health of you or others, please contact your local medical professional.

You can find more information on the Department of Health website or by calling the Coronavirus Health Information Line on 1800 020 080.

You can also read the full Government announcement here.

MEMBERS AND CASUAL USERS

While some people may be (understandably) nervous about visiting public venues, the Chief Medical Officer, Professor Brendan Murphy advised on Sunday that at this stage you can still go to the gym, encouraging people to be aware of maintaining good hygiene if they choose to do so.

“If you’re going to the gym, I would be very focused on hand washing, using hand sanitisers, all of those social distancing, good hygiene measures,” Professor Murphy said.

Various health authorities are also recommending that people continue normal preventive measures, which include eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly. Getting a workout in your gym or participating in your regular morning swim is healthy and safe. Fortunately for us, there is no evidence showing that the virus is transmitted through sweat or pool water!

SWIM SCHOOL

Specific information regarding the suspension of our swim school activities was sent via email, SMS and post to families on Thursday 19 March 2020.

We thank all of our swim school families for their understanding and look forward to welcoming them back at the first available opportunity.

CONTACT US

We are currently receiving a high volume of calls and therefore encourage you to submit a web enquiry should you wish to get in contact with our team by clicking here https://www.alburywodongaaquatics.com.au/talk-to-us