The boss of the Queenstown council body in charge of local sports facilities has announced her resignation.
Lakes Leisure chief executive Fiona McKissock is leaving at the end of the year after four years in the job.
In a statement today (Friday), McKissock says rapid growth means the organisation’s structure needs reviewing and that necessary changes will be the first priority for the board and her successor.
According to the release, visitor numbers at Frankton’s Events Centre – Lakes Leisure’s biggest facility – have increased from 98,000 a year in 2007 to 443,000 in the most recent year.
Participation numbers across the district – including three pools, five venues, the Events Centre’s health and fitness centre and 13 sports grounds – have increased from 460,000 in 2009 to 685,000.
“It’s the largest people business in the district,” McKissock says.
Under her leadership, Lakes Leisure has taken on major new responsibilities including embedding the $18 million Alpine Aqualand and development of Alpine Health & Fitness – both at the Events Centre – and sports turf management across the district.
“The Lakes Leisure I joined in 2008 was smaller, it faced multiple community and organisational challenges, and was still finding its way,” McKissock says.
“The organisation I am leaving is a strong, diverse and much valued regional facility that achieves its brief of increasing community participation in sports and leisure.”
It’s believed McKissock’s salary is between $150,000 and $160,000 a year.
Your say
Another Perspective
Ms McKissock's results speak for themselves. Alpine Heath and Fitness and Alpine Aqualand are well run attractive facilities that have encouraged a wide range of community members to get involved in exercise.
I think Ms McKissock has done a great job.
16 Aug 2012 01:01PMgymjunkie
To late
Change should of happened years ago. Questions should have been asked when the management team started leaving one by one. LL would have to have the highest turnover of management staff in town yet it has taken 4 years for council to realise. If only they could turn back time and bring back the years of experienced they lost, now they seem to have twice as many staff to what they use to but still cant deliver what they use to be able to deliver. Oh well, i just hope they can find someone that can take the reigns and bring it back to what it use to be. Good luck!!
15 Aug 2012 10:56PMAndo
I've not worked with Fi, but from all accounts she's one hard working person. From the factual parts of the article it would appear she's been very good for Queenstown. What a pity someone decided to make such a slanderous comment.
15 Aug 2012 01:49PMtobybear
about time
Thank god, let us hope that the truth about this woman comes out
11 Aug 2012 08:18AMroger
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