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The Stanmore Bay Pool and Leisure Centre considers it has avoided “a PR disaster” after an error that would have seen senior membership prices rise by more than 100 percent was recently discovered.
Auckland Council’s Pools and Leisure staff submitted a new pricing structure for senior users that would have increased their membership fee at the Stanmore Bay facility by more than $418 per year. The proposal was to introduce an annual membership fee of $743.60 – currently it is $325 – an increase of 128 percent.
The error was picked up, and the Hibiscus & Bays Local Board then had to avert the scheme by reviewing the proposed fee and recommending a new fee, which it did at its meeting last week.
The local board noted that the proposed new price not only would have been a significant increase, but also considerably higher than other leisure centres charge across the region.
The scale of increase was not justified, even in light of recent renovations at the facility.
It was also noted that such a significant rise would be extremely damaging to the reputation of the Centre and a barrier to seniors joining the gym.
At its meeting on September 7, the Local Board instead approved a new Senior 12 month membership fee of $410, for new members only, to take effect from October 1.
