The minutes of 22nd November at long, long last, contained a measly two and a half page ‘report’ on GESAC. We had been promised a full report and have previously commented on the lack of detail contained in this Pools Steering Committee Meeting minutes. We therefore hoped against hope that at the actual Council Meeting Lipshutz might enlighten the community further as to the financial state of affairs, the basketball fiasco, the opening dates, and a myriad of other issues. Here’s a summary of what he said.
LIPSHUTZ: Stated that the committee meets monthly and last meeting was 3rd November and ‘a number of matters were discussed…..the building completion program….originally slated to finish in mid September (never realistic) aiming for mid December…’and we until quite recently been told ….that was a very achievable date….builder has run into a number of problems…missed construction…we have…two fantastic pool managers….and they have been on the ball throughout this whole program….they have required the builder to rectify…(issues of labour and shortages of materials which means the pool won’t open in December)….we believe….late January or February….far better to have it done properly (than) a rushed job’……’no fault at all on our project managers, where the fault lies is….with the builder. (Council has done everything it can including) ‘liquidated damages…and the builder clearly does not wish to pay those damages (but it’s out of his hands)…..there are positives….the pool is progressing very well….water slide now constructed….(nearly 3000 members)…demonstrates there are people who want to go there and be members….(Pool has plenty of) fantastic programs – (sprint pool – ‘one of the best in Australia’; ‘lessons available 7 days a week’; ….small classes….continuous learning…communication feedback…Little Buccaneers….learn to swim classes…academy of swimming….dolphins for age 7 to 10….seniors ….special needs….’pool has been designed to ensure that people with disabilities can enter the pool’….’private lessons…school programs…birthday parties….leisure centre…..play, cannons, …adult programs…basketball stadium ‘will be used for a number of organisations’….competitive basketball for young kids….soccer….casual hire….netball….mornings and evenings….partnership with Marriot support services….training and competition….gymnasium ‘told at outset that whatever we build’ was going to be ‘too small’….’because gymnasiums attract people’…
TANG: point of order about speaking time.
ESAKOFF: asked for mover for extension of time. Moved Pilling and seconded Hyams. ‘Another 3 minutes’. Carried unanimously.
LIPSHUTZ: ‘gymnausium will have (several programs) nutrition’…boxing…body balance…body pump…yoga…tai chi….’developed for gesac’….ELDERLY…’warming pool is one of the best in Australia and has been designed that way’…physios, ….massage…..young families…with children a crèche…..’those are the things that we have….developed’….’disappointing that (it won’t be open) in December…..everyone has been pressing the builder….despite all that there is no possibility of opening in December….
MAGEE: Said he would have liked it to be open in November or December but ‘I’m just as happy for it to be built properly…..it wouldn’t be fair to try and rush it….this acquatic centre will be with us for the next 100 years….(and in a few years find out that things are wrong with it)…because someone rushed it…if it takes an extra month….I’m more than happy to put up with…knowing that the quality that we expect….(Went on to suggest two possible names for the slides – Anaconda, & Little Worm).
Glen Eira Debates 
November 25, 2011 at 6:20 PM
Truly amazing that after all the furore about basketball, costs, opening times, auditor general’s reports, and other problems that residents get nothing more than a sales man trying to sell a white elephant. I thought that council hired its public relations people. They don’t need councillors to double up for this role. Just a bit of honest news will do thank you very much
November 25, 2011 at 7:27 PM
By the sounds of this there was five and a half minutes of drivel and 30 seconds of regurgitating the pathetic report. Yup, just keep everything under wraps. We’ll only learn the true cost of things when our rates go through the roof in another 6 months.
November 26, 2011 at 8:16 AM
I have always been concerned about the progess of GESAC (when scant information is presented it’s always a warning bell). I became even more concerned when in Spetember no actual opening ceremony date was set (doesn’t have to be on the day the first patron walks through the door can be a month or two before or after). But still nothing. So don’t hold your breath for a Feb opening.
Then we are told in October that suddenly there is a problem and a full report will be presented, covering building progress and the basket ball allocations, at the November Meeting.
November meeting comes around and the report only includes
. meaningless headings
. construction costs (which only relate to the shell of the building) are expected to be under budget by $1m because of a $2m damages action against the builder
. The pools steering committee and admin have done a great job – the builder is the issue
. No update on the basketball allocations (still raging after 6 months)
. That Council is going to run the gym and is currently employing staff.
. Then the entire activity programme is read out … from the toddlers learn to swim right down to kick boxing. The reading of the programme takes twice as much time as the discussion on the sudden delays and the costs.
That the reading of the entire activity progamme took twice as long as the discussion on the suddent delays (and subsequent costs) but hey the water slides have suggested name is alarming. This is a standard distraction tactic and does not bode well for GESAC completion or the budget. I’d really like GESAC to do well but somehow the words deep sh*t keep coming to mind.
November 26, 2011 at 10:05 AM
There’s an ominous warning in Lipshutz’s words -“the builder clearly does not wish to pay those damages.” If this is the case then we can all look forward to more legal fees and potentially court action. To quell any community fears Council needs to come out with a statement that outlines precisely what is happening and provides a full account of expenses.
November 26, 2011 at 11:35 AM
Reckon Burke’s been dudded if basketball is going to be shared between several organisations. Well done councillors. A bit late, but still a good outcome if it eventuates.
November 26, 2011 at 11:52 AM
Council is going to run the Gym!!!!! One presumes this is because no commercial operation saw the Gym as a viable option.
What makes Council , which has zero expertise in the gym business and a pathetic track record in running commerical operations, think it they can do what the others can’t.
November 26, 2011 at 1:26 PM
Can imagine people turning up for gym and finding out that the instructor had a rostered day off. Sorreeeee.
November 26, 2011 at 2:19 PM
Simple hire an experienced manager to run the gym for council, that’s maybe what will happen
November 26, 2011 at 5:07 PM
There are supposed to be 50 staff on council’s books anyway. That’s a heap of money to be paying out when they should have simply had contracts that made the lessees provide their experienced staff. That way there would have been no cost to ratepayers for this.
Noted Magee’s claim that gesac would last 100 years. Betyas in 10 it will need redevelopment especially if the work has been so shoddy.
November 26, 2011 at 5:50 PM
That would be right. I noticed that they are resurfacing the Geelong by pass. That is aabout 2 years old. GESAC will need a major fit out after 10 years.
November 27, 2011 at 7:22 AM
Yep sounds simple hire an experienced manager …. since Council has not expertise in running a gym how will they evaluate the applicants and pick the best man for the job.
November 27, 2011 at 12:38 AM
A leak, a leak, my Kingdom for a leak
I think we should take bets on how long it will be before at least one of the GESAC pools starts to leak. When that happens, Council can sell it off to private enterprise and build a brand new GESAC at the Carnegie pool site. At least that would make more sense than the present fiasco..
By the way, almost all large community pools develop leaks, caused by movement in the subgrade material. Pool leaks are a fact of life, there is even a huge pool maintenance industry with special equipment to locate leaks. Newton should use them more, to stop the selective leaking by the administration. Remember the leaks of councillors private communications and even confidential emails from ratepayers (all carefully shown in public council Agendas)? City Hall leaks like a seive when it wants to.
Perhaps the delays in opening GESAC are because it leaks already? That would explain the vague claims of ‘liquidated’ damages. Remember also, the Yarra tunnel leaked before it was opened. Did we employ the same engineers as CityLeak, er, sorry, CityLink?
November 29, 2011 at 12:03 AM
Could someone advise me who is actually on the GESAC ‘Committee’?
November 29, 2011 at 1:53 AM
There is only the Pools Steering Committee. It comprises Lipshutz (Chair), Magee, and Esakoff and officers – Mark Judge, Mark Collings, Peter Waite, Burke. Other councillors are free to attend if they like. At the last meeting Newton also attended.