ELISE Frost is the new manager at Launceston Aquatic.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Ms Frost has taken over from former Paralympian swimmer Melissa Carlton, who announced in April she was leaving the Launceston City Council-owned facility after achieving her employment brief and personal goals in the role.
It will be no easy role for Ms Frost, a first-time manager who has to tackle a reported annual deficit of $1.6 million.
Although just 16 days into the role, Ms Frost is not new to the centre and began working in a customer liaison membership and retail capacity before it officially opened to the public in May 2009.
She has worked her way up from a lifeguard, a position she took on at just 16 years of age, at two Hobart pools.
``My first memory is of being around pools and swimming,'' Ms Frost said.
``I was a swimmer all through school, spent six years in the state team and as a coach, and then I did a business degree at uni, but even during that I was still life guarding, coaching and swimming.
``So being able to bring together the business education and the passion for pools - I'm quite lucky.''
Ms Frost, who has signed a three-year contract, said her plans for the centre would be to address the deficit.
``In that time I'm working towards getting our deficit under $1 million - that's a big target for all of us here and all of us at council,'' she said.
She said they would also focus on a maintenance and cleanliness program, as well as promote the centre to individuals who may not yet have been there.
In her role, Ms Frost also takes responsibility for the LAfit gym, which now boasts 700 members.
Although controversial before it was opened, she said very few members had actually come from other clubs, but rather were new gym members or those returning to the scene after some years away.
She said it was on track to meet its 1000 membership target by the end of the financial year.
Council general manager Robert Dobrzynski welcomed Ms Frost and said she was extremely well qualified for the role.