Ascot Vale Leisure Centre – Uniting The Community Through Sports And Fitness
A town that prioritises good health inspires its residents to actively seek it. Ascot Vale, an inner city locale north-west of Melbourne, is one such place. The quiet suburb’s wholesomeness is underlined by the tree-lined streets, the wide green spaces along the meandering Maribyrnong River, and the fitness-oriented locals.
The number of sports and recreation venues in the area attests to the community’s commitment to fitness. Right at the top of the list is the Ascot Vale Leisure Centre, a facility owned by the City of Moonee Valley and managed by the YMCA. Located near the Melbourne Showgrounds, this facility boasts a wide range of fitness options for people of all ages and levels of fitness, members and casual visitors alike.
The Ascot Vale Leisure Centre has significantly contributed to the community’s overall positive attitude toward health. Its emphasis on sports and exercise is largely adopted by the residents. As a result, they find themselves united in preserving the healthy quality of the town, both in the place itself and the people living in it.
Sports, as we know, carry far more influence than people would normally give it credit for. Isn’t football considered the religion of Brazil? Didn’t an unofficial ceasefire occur in Gaza during the 2014 World Cup finals? Don’t we see people of varying (at times, even opposing) beliefs and convictions come together during the Olympics? Haven’t we through the years seen different movies and read different stories about towns finding a common ground in their love for a game and thus building their strength as a community because of it?
In Ascot Vale, the sports options range from golf and tennis to swimming and gymnastics; however, if you want to participate in a physical and social game, the obvious choice for you is netball. It’s so easy to be involved. If you can form a team, you only need to sign up with Melbourne Social Netball in order to be included in the most safely and professionally run netball competitions in Victoria. If you can’t find a team to join, don’t let this deter you as you can simply sign up as an individual player.
Being a netballer will work wonders in different aspects of your life. To prime yourself physically, you can take advantage of the Ascot Vale Leisure Centre facilities. You can even gather your workout buddies at the gym to form your own team. Immediately, both your health and your social life have improved. More importantly, you will feel a sense of belongingness and positive contribution to the community. In effect, you’ve become one with the community in its pursuit to make Ascot Vale a place in the pink of health.