RACE wins a heart

By Bridget Cook
CASEY RACE has earned the City of Casey a top honour at the 2010 National Heart Foundation’s Local Government Awards.
Casey won the facilities category for the council’s state-of-the-art aquatic and leisure facility at Cranbourne East – Casey RACE.
The awards aim to recognise and showcase local governments working to improve heart health through building a sense of community, encouraging people to be physically active, be smoke-free and make healthy food choices.
City of Casey Mayor Lorraine Wreford said winning the facilities category of these awards at both the state and national levels is an outstanding achievement.
“It’s wonderful for the council and the community that our very own facility, right here in the City of Casey, is built and managed at a standard worthy of national recognition,” she said.
“We are very proud to receive this award which recognisesthe Casey RACE as a facility that is delivering a range of healthand well-being benefits to the Casey community, along with increased opportunities for community participation and social connection.”
The YMCA, which manages the facility on the council’s behalf, delivers a range of programsand initiatives that also contribute to the community’s healthand well-being.
In the 12-month period from its opening in June 2009, more than 600,000 people visited the Casey RACE.
There are about 3,200 members and an average of 4,000 people attend group fitness classes each month.
About 1,600 children are enrolled in aquatic education, 2,000 take part in the school aquatic education program at the facility each month and about 20 birthday parties are held at the Casey RACE each month.
As the National Facilities category winner, council was awarded $2,000 which will go towards the Casey RACE Cardiac Rehabilitation Program.