Community Gym
Following opening of the Recreation Centre in 2017, feedback from the community has consistently expressed aspiration for a gym facility to be incorporated into the precinct. In 2022 the Shire of Boddington undertook community consultation to determine the level of support in the community for the Shire to establish a Community Gym, as well as clarify local expectations of how the facility would operate. Subsequently Council endorsed its in-principle support of the Community Gym concept, and external funding opportunities were pursued. In May 2023 the Shire was advised of a successful funding outcome with Lotterywest which would enable the project to proceed during 2023-24.
The Community Gym is being established as a health and wellbeing initiative for residents to exercise unsupervised with commercial grade equipment to allow for both cardio and strength/weights training. It will also increase accessibility to indoor exercise opportunities, as the closest gym facilities are located in Armadale (95km), Pinjarra (75km) and Narrogin (82km).
Name Your Community Gym
Shire of Boddington residents are invited to submit suggestions for the official name of the Boddington Community Gym. During planning ‘Boddington Community Gym’ has been a working title and a permanent name is needed ahead of the facility opening later in 2023-24.
To have your say, visit the Survey Link before Thursday, 31 August. Responses will be collated for Council to determine a shortlist in September 2023. A public vote will then be conducted with the winner receiving a complimentary 12 month membership.
Community Consultation
Residents within the Shire of Boddington were invited to participate in a survey to share their level of support for the proposal during 2022. Local providers of group fitness and personal trainers services within the Shire of Boddington were engaged with a targeted invitation to participate in the survey to gauge their level of support for the proposal, as well as identify opportunities to collaborate and add value to their existing businesses. A further opportunity was made available in 2023 for the community provide input into the selection of equipment.
Project
During 2023 the Boddington Pavilion changerooms will be repurposed into a Community Gym. The advantages of this include:
- maximising use of an inactivated facility that is already co-located within the existing sport and recreation precinct;
- meeting a current need in the community within a short-term timeframe;
- suitability of the floor space consisting of two defined rooms that would effectively cater for cardio and weight lifting areas; and
- external funding opportunities were available to recover the cost of equipment and other start-up expenses to repurpose the space.
The scope of refurbishment works to the Boddington Pavilion include:
- upgrading the facility in line with current accessibility requirements
- installation of CCTV
- installation of access control to enable swipe card entry into the building for members
- upgrading of shower and change facilities
- converting Changeroom 1 into Cardio Room
- converting Changeroom 2 into Weights Room
- converting the existing Umpires Room into a Universally Accessible Toilet/Changeroom
- upgrading the facility in line with current accessibility requirements
- installation of temperature control
Project Timeline
The key milestones include:
17 February 2022 | Council endorse progressing to community consultation
11 April – 30 April 2022 | Consultation period undertaken
21 July 2022 | Council endorse support for Community Gym concept, subject to resourcing available in the 2022/23 budget
18 August 2022 | Council endorse Community Gym project in 2022/23 budget
October 2022 | Project components scoped and external funding application submitted
May 2023 | Successful funding outcome advised
Next steps | Building refurbishment works
Funding Acknowledgment
The Shire of Boddington extends its appreciation to Lotterywest as a major supporter of the Community Gym project.
