EARILER in the year, Broken Hill City Council staff closed the Gymnastics and Kindergym Club, located in Central Street, due to mould forming following bout of heavy weather and humidity.
Testing revealed that several areas of the facility’s ceiling contained common forms of mould that could elevate the risk of asthma or allergies on contact.
Since then council officers and Broken Hill Gymnastics staff have worked to find a new venue, with the club eventually relocating to the former Coke Factory in Morgan Street.
Head coach Zoe Tonkin said club members grateful for the new space, but due to its size team members were struggling with competition preparation.
“The new space has been good, it’s not as big as our space, but it is doing its job, my competition team has struggled with comp preparation with some apparatus’ just due to minimal space,” she said.
“Vault for level six gymnasts requires a 20 metre plus run up and we just have not been able to do that in our current location.
“We adapted our training but it’s not the same.
“It’s been tough on the girls competing some skills for the first time in the optimal way at competition with only two practice skills before you are judged.
“There was equipment that we didn’t bring over as we just didn’t have the room and our floor is three metres smaller than a competition floor in the current location.
“Not having as much space when you have 60 kids at training preparing for a competition, things get a little tight.
“We have managed and the kids have continued to work hard.”
Tonkin said it was fortunate the damage wasn’t more widespread.
“We were lucky it was only a small patch of mould near an evaporative air conditioner, given that we often get water in when we get significant rain it could have been a lot worse,” she said.
“We were not given a time in the beginning due to insurance companies being involved and relevant approvals, so the process was slow initially we were given a post September timeline initially.
“Clean up has started and the plan will be to move back in over the Christmas break ready to commence Term 1 2025 home.”
In March, BHCC general manager Jay Nankivell said municipal officers taken a cautious approach to the incident.
“We inspected our major facilities after recent rain events and unfortunately mould was discovered in the gymnasium,” he said.
“There is no issue with airborne spores, it’s simply surface mould on the ceiling of the building.”
Tonkin said club membership numbers have been good, but so other events have decreased.
“We are lucky our membership has stayed consistent with 65 kids in our competition program and over 120 in our recreational classes,” she said.
“Our birthday parties have dropped off as people prefer the other gym with the big trampoline, but we have kept busy.
“Kindergym has also been impacted as we don’t have a dedicated space in the current gym for under five years, and we set up and pack down after each class for this program, but we are making it work.
“Our members are amazing and our families that have assisted with the move and then ongoing needs while we navigate the space.
“The council have been extremely supportive during the whole process so we are lucky.
“We are excited to move home and hopefully this will happen early in the new year.”
If you want more information about classes please contact the Gymnastics Club through their Facebook page.
