What You Need to Know About Strata Building Recreational Facilities
The warmer summer weather is nearly upon us again and this typically brings with it an increase in social events, BBQ’s, parties and gatherings with friends and family.
Having a nice pool, spa, gym, BBQ area or other communal recreational facilities available in your strata complex is a fantastic luxury. It appeals to owners for a variety of reasons including the opportunity for apartment living with larger home facilities, the shared cost of maintenance with other owners through your levies and having someone else physically maintain the facilities.
But what are the responsibilities of each owner and the things that need to be kept in mind?
In the first instance, your strata by-laws and House Rules (if applicable) will outline the rules of use for the facilities at your complex as well as any booking requirements, and these should be read and understood prior to use of any facilities. If you have any questions about these, or suggestions, please speak to your Strata Manager. Similarly, if there are any faults or damages, please report this immediately to your Strata Manager.
Pools, spa’s and other aquatic facilities
Australians love the water and simply because you live in an apartment does not mean you have to miss out. Below are some points to consider when using the pool in your strata complex –
Pools usually are on a first-in, first-served basis, which may lead to more crowded facilities on those warm summer weekends. Please be aware of any number restrictions that may be in place and if needed do not use the facilities if they are already at their capacity.
These facilities typically have a restriction on available hours. This is not to be a killjoy, but rather can at times be a Local Government requirement, for the safety of residents. The Council of Owners may also have restricted hours to align with Building Manager hours (as someone may need to be available to close the facilities at the end of the day) or for any other practical or safety reason such as administering chemicals.
While those in the pool need to be conscious of the level of noise they are creating while playing (typically the younger patrons), those with apartments overlooking or close to this need to be understanding that people will be enjoying the facility and making some noise. Apartments in nature are in close proximity to one another, and the facilities. The more people utilising this fantastic facility, the more likely that there will be an increase in noise, regardless of how considerate each individual in the crowd is trying to be.
There is not usually a ‘lifeguard’. Monitoring your residents and guest’s safety is an individual responsibility. Please be careful and respect the rules in place that are there for your safety. Please do not use the Pool or Spa facilities if you are unwell or have a skin condition. If you are unsure, please avoid using the Pool or speak to your doctor or the Building Manager regarding this.
Wear appropriate clothing. While it is your home’s pool/spa, it remains a communal area so clothing should be appropriate for public.
If there is a fault on any pool/spa equipment, including gates and surrounds, please let the Building Manager (if there is one) and your Strata Manager know as soon as possible.
Gym
Having a gym in the complex is an ever-necessary luxury as we live in this fast-paced world and look for convenient places to work out and stay healthy. Some things to be mindful of include –
Gyms can be noisy! Whether its people wanting some working out music, or the equipment itself, all patrons need to be considerate of the noise generated.
We recommend you use headphones rather than a stereo system, however for those situations where this is not practical, please keep the music to a minimum where it cannot be heard from outside the room.
Please be mindful of weights! The number one complaint about gym noise relates to weights being ‘clunked’ either onto the floor or onto the rack. Although your arms might be feeling the burn already, take time and care when returning these.
There are usually operational hours for gyms primarily due to noise. Please do be considerate of these times.
Treadmills are the most highly used equipment in the gym and require a lot of regular maintenance. Despite maintenance, breakages do happen. Be mindful of the usage requirements of all equipment and report any faults immediately to your Building Manager or Strata Manager. If suitable, immediately place a notice on the equipment to prevent others from using it.
Please wipe down when you’re finished. As close as we live to our neighbours, no-one wants to lie in a pool of someone else’s sweat, so please be hygienic and wipe down your work out area when finished.
Be aware of your surroundings and your limits. Check the equipment in the first instance for faults and correct use. Only once you are sure that the equipment is in good operational order, and you are confident that you know how to use it correctly, then you may proceed. Be aware of your physical limits as well and be familiar with where the first aid equipment such as a defibrillator (if available) are located on site. Although the equipment may work, it’s detrimental if you exceed beyond your own physical limits.
BBQ’s
A Summer evening BBQ is a mainstay of our Australian lifestyle. Many people enjoy cooking and eating outside several times a week in the warmer weather. While the building may provide a BBQ facility for the use of residents please be aware of the following:
While the Strata Company takes care of the overall maintenance and deep cleaning of the BBQ, each user must leave the BBQ and surrounding areas in a clean a tidy state after use. This includes a general clean of the BBQ plate and surrounds.
Be aware if a booking is required to use the facility.
Report any issues with the equipment.
If there is not a direct gas supply, you may need to check and ensure there is enough gas for you to use. If there are any issues or the gas is running low, please report this to your Building Manager or Strata Manager
Be aware of noise and keeping this to a level that will not disturb other residents. Typically, these facilities are located in a central position in a strata scheme and noise is easily magnified and transmitted to lots and others.
If at any time you have questions about your common recreational facilities or would like to report damage, please do not hesitate to contact your Blackburne Strata Manager.
Enjoy your Summer fun and please remember to always be safe and considerate of others!