WAVES Wodonga has been recognised at a state level for its excellent design, features and community consultation during its planning.
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It has won Parks and Leisure Australia’s 2014 Leisure Facilities Award for the Victoria and Tasmania region.
The award recognises facilities that demonstrate innovative features of design, development and operation.
Wodonga councillor Eric Kerr and council recreation officers Debbie Mackinlay and Merryn Deslandes travelled to Geelong where they accepted the award on Wednesday night.
“It’s a real honour,” Wodonga Council acting chief executive Trevor Ierino said.
“We have a great facility and the public have really embraced it.”
WAVES was up against three other nominations — Leisurelink in Geelong, Aqualink in Box Hill and Edithvale Recreation Reserve Pavilion in Kingston.
Three judges were involved in grading the facilities against criteria including features of design, development and operation.
Mr Ierino said one of the features that set the Wodonga centre apart from the rest was the design of its splash pad and toddler pool.
“There’s so many things for kids to play with — it’s a real winner,” he said.
WAVES area manager Andrew Mundy said it had been a successful first season with more than 80,000 visitors.
Mr Ierino believes the figures speak for themselves.
“If you look at Wodonga’s population of 35,000 — that’s every man, woman and child using the facility at least twice on average,” he said.
WAVES will go to the national awards in Cairns during August.
WAVES closed on April 13 and will re-open on September 15.
