YMCA safe for 5 years, Sunday trade is in doubt

The Shire of Narrogin council voted in favour unanimously to extend YMCA WA’s management contract of Narrogin Regional Leisure Centre for a further five years from July 1.

The future of Sunday trading at the centre, however, remains in doubt after last Wednesday’s council meeting.

It was revealed low use of the YMCA by the public during Sunday trading hours meant a $20,000 a year loss for the centre.

Shire of Narrogin chief executive Dale Stewart said the council was pleased to provide a contract extension to YMCA and was seeking a budget breakdown from YMCA management to determine the future of Sunday trading at the centre.

“Council has trialled for the past 15 months opening the centre from noon to 5pm and that trial has had varying degrees of success,” he said. “Certain times of the year, it is reasonably well used, at certain other times it is not.”

The YMCA will be required to provide a budget for the 2019-20 financial year to the council by June, which councillors will then use to vote on what months of the next financial year Sunday trading will continue, if at all.

Narrogin Regional Leisure Centre regional centre will remain open on Sundays until the beginning of the 2019-20 financial year regardless.

A deficit budget of $286,333 was approved for the 2019-20 budget by the council, increased from 2018-19’s deficit budget of $284,706.