A beloved leisure centre could be in jeopardy without a cash injection to bring it up to standard.
The Beach Leisure Centre in Aberdeen brings in families from across the region, with the flumes and waves machine firm favourites among swimmers young and old.
But Sport Aberdeen’s annual report has highlighted the challenges faced by the ageing facility, which opened in 1992, and revealed there have already been “plant failings”.
Last night the charity – which is an arms-length organisation that receives millions in council funding and controls most of the city’s sport and leisure facilities – revealed talks were ongoing to tackle some of the problems.
A spokeswoman for Sport Aberdeen said: “Even any short-term solutions however would require additional investment.”
She was echoed by opposition councillors, who called for the centre to be considered in next year’s capital plan.
The annual report stated: “Issues with the condition of the ageing Beach Leisure Centre impacts on both the quality of service that is provided and our ability to guarantee all services can be delivered.
“Plant failure on occasions has led to a failure of service delivery.”
The report also highlighted design issues at the sports complex within the new multi-million-pound Lochside Academy and said they – and lengthy negotiations over operating costs – were having an impact on what leisure options were available to the community.
The facilities there – known as Get Active at Lochside – include a gym, swimming pool and two sports halls.
The report reads: “Lochside Academy delays in reaching agreement over the operating costs associated with the community sports facilities and design issues have impacted on our ability to offer a comprehensive community leisure offer within this community.
“Without investment to alter the design of the facility to accommodate additional community use, the facility will never play a full part in meeting the leisure needs in this area.”
Sport Aberdeen is entering the final year of its 10-year contract to run the facilities with the council.
The report says the body received a total of £4,664,442 in council funding for 2019/20.
But at this year’s council budget meeting, Sport Aberdeen’s funding was cut by around £550,000 – about 10% of its council allocated budget.
Despite the challenges ahead, the new report shows that the body is either meeting or exceeding in most of their targets – with more than 100,000 visits to facilities and participants in activities clocked in 2018/19 over the previous year.
The Sport Aberdeen spokeswoman said: “As part of our remit we regularly update Aberdeen City Council with regards to the standard of the city’s facilities we operate on their behalf and any impact on the quality of service to the local community.
“We are currently discussing a range of operational issues both at Lochside Academy and the Beach Leisure Centre and how these can best be resolved given both the challenging financial climate and the long-term strategy for facility development in the city.”
Board member and local councillor Gordon Graham said the organisation would “keep a close eye” on the situation.
He added: “I don’t think there is anything ahead which can’t be solved.”
Opposition Liberal Democrat group leader Ian Yuill stressed that in the current financial climate, the authority “must only spend what it can afford”.
But he said: “It is clearly very concerning that issues are developing at the Beach Leisure Centre and it is important that the council and Sport Aberdeen have talks on how to resolve them.
“The council as the landlord should look at affordable plans for the centre to put in their costed capital plans next year.”
The leisure centre opened in 1992, and includes a gym, pool, leisure pool and ice arena which hosted the European Curling Championships in 2009.
A previous long-term repair plan for the building was launched by council chiefs in 2010, costed at around £1.5 million.
In 2013, Sport Aberdeen was fined £8,000 after a young boy suffered serious leg injuries when he went down a flume that did not have enough water.
Beach Ballroom may need £2m roof replacement
Another iconic beachfront asset, owned by the council, is the Beach Ballroom – which councillors will be recommended to keep in house.
A report to next week’s strategic commissioning committee advises further investment in the art deco facility – including potentially £2 million to replace its ageing roof.
Earlier this year, local authority officers were tasked with investigating franchising out the 1929-built venue to a private operator with projected savings of £146,000 a year.
But the report confirms that the necessary savings had already been found through cutting staff and costs.
Unions reacted with fury when the plans were first put forward, but they have since welcomed the volte-face.
Councillors will be presented with three options for the future of the ballroom: allowing it to continue operating under the current budget, engaging in significant investment or outsourcing the venue.
Officers have recommended the second option, which would amount to £200,000 in the first year and the long-term replacement of the roof potentially costed at £2 million.
But with council co-leader Jenny Laing, and by extension her Aberdeen Labour group, and the opposition SNP group voicing their support for retaining the venue in house, the outsourcing option would not have enough votes to proceed at committee.
The report reads: “Since 2013-14, the council has invested £1.1m on capital works on the building, with works to the value of an additional £200,000 anticipated in 2019-20.
“Recent condition surveys have started to suggest that major refurbishment of the Star Ballroom roof may be necessary, and indicative estimates suggest a capital cost of at least £2m.”
