Blacktown City Council's two leisure facilities; Emerton Leisure Centre and Blacktown Leisure Centre, Stanhope were both recognised at the 2009 NSW Austswim Awards on October 8.

Emerton Leisure Centre was awarded the winner of the Patron's Award for Significant Contribution to Water Safety with a focus on under-represented groups.

Emerton's win recognises the Centre's work in the community, their hard-work, dedication and professionalism of the young and enthusiastic staff at the Centre.

The award acknowledges the Centre's work for their Waterwise Indigenous Aquatic Education Project. The project is a dynamic and evolving water safety initiative to improve and engage the health and wellbeing of the local Aboriginal community in the various programs and services that are delivered from Emerton Leisure Centre.

Blacktown Leisure Centre, Stanhope was commended at the awards in the Swim School of the Year category for their Surfees Swim School program which is one of the most successful swim schools in Australia.

In addition, Swim School teacher Robina Fellner won an individual award in recognition of her outstanding work as an Austswim Teacher of People with Disabilities.

Robina has been teaching swimming for over seven years and currently teaches six classes of children with special needs at Blacktown Leisure Centre, Stanhope. Robina shows enormous passion, commitment and enthusiasm towards teaching children with special needs and in a year will do 160 hours of teaching in the pool.

"Congratulations to both Leisure Centres, this is an outstanding achievement for them and their patrons", Mayor of Blacktown City, Councillor Charlie Lowles said.

"These awards give Council great pride and satisfaction in recognizing not only our excellent facilities but importantly the caliber of the community based programs Council offers through our Leisure Centres and the high level of skills our staff possess", Mayor Lowles continued.