\nIn order to do all we can to limit the transmission of the virus and to prioritise the wellbeing of staff and the community,\u00a0the end of\u00a0season closure\u00a0will be brought forward\u00a0to\u00a0Monday 23March\u00a0for\u00a0City-owned\u00a0swimming centres\u00a0across the local government area.
\n
![\"BeresfieldPool-(1).jpg\"](\"https:\/\/www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au\/getattachment\/Council\/News\/Latest-News\/Update-on-City%E2%80%99s-swimming-centres\/BeresfieldPool-(1).jpg.aspx\" "\\"BeresfieldPool-(1).jpg\\"")
\nCity of Newcastle Interim Director City Wide Services Alissa Jones said\u00a0the\u00a0decision affected the\u00a0City-operated Beresfield Swimming Centre, along with\u00a0Lambton, Mayfield, Stockton and Wallsend Swimming Centres, operated by\u00a0BlueFit\u00a0Aquatics.
\n\u201cIn collaboration with\u00a0BlueFit\u00a0we have\u00a0brought forward the final day of the season to 23 March 2020 as part of\u00a0our\u00a0commitment to the health and wellbeing of staff and the community,\u201d Ms Jones said.
\n\u201cThis means that all swimming centres in Newcastle will be closed from Monday 23\u00a0March 2020.
\n\u201cCity of Newcastle will continue to provide lifeguard services at our beaches and ocean baths. Information on patrol hours can be found on\u00a0our\u00a0website.
\n\u201cThe City\u2019s key objectives are to provide timely information about any\u202fchanges to services or the operation of our facilities and to support the State and Federal Governments to manage the impact of the pandemic.
\n\u201cCity of Newcastle will\u202fadjust operations to further protect public health and the health of our staff and volunteers.
\n\u201cCity of Newcastle is working with staff affected by the early closure of the Beresfield Swimming Centre to minimise the adverse impact on them.\u201d
\nBlueFit\u00a0CEO Todd McHardy said\u00a0BlueFit\u00a0has\u00a0considered\u00a0a number of\u00a0strategic approaches to ensure the best outcomes for both community and staff.
\n\u201cThe responsible solution across the Newcastle region is to bring forward the winter closure for all facilities to commence on Monday 23 March 2020, the\u00a0final day of trade being Sunday 22 March 2020,\u201d Mr McHardy said.
\n\u201cSafety is our number one priority and with ongoing government-imposed reductions in mass gathering numbers and further recommendations on social distancing, we believe closing the Newcastle swimming venues will limit the transmission of the virus in our community.
\n\u201cWe recognise the financial impact this has on our staff and the broader community, therefore,\u00a0BlueFit\u00a0has developed a safety net strategy to support our team and customers in times of hardship\u00a0in an effort to\u00a0reduce the impact across our network.
\n\u201cAll learn to swim program participants will be notified through separate correspondence of relevant closures and program disruption. We are committed to supporting both the community and our staff through this period and we are grateful for the strong partnership we have with the City of Newcastle to assist us through these tough decisions.
\n\u201cWe feel the impact on the community will be minimal given we are entering the end of the summer season and with the magnificent beaches and ocean baths available in\u00a0Newcastle, and\u00a0prioritises the health and wellbeing of staff and the broader community.\u201d
\nFurther information about the City\u2019s response is available at\u00a0Newcastle.nsw.gov.au\/covid-19<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"