$98,000 worth of indecision

September 2018 | Sharon Webb

SPORTS GROUPS pushing for a consolidated sports precinct for Deloraine have labeled councillors’ responses to a feasibility plan “embarrassing” and “lacking vision”.

They say they look forward to more progressive attitudes from new councillors elected in next month’s elections.

After four years of work, members of the town’s sports groups sat in August’s Meander Valley Council meeting to hear councillors thank them for their efforts; their working group with council would be wound down.

In February the $98,000 feasibility study funded by the council, State Government and the Deloraine & Districts Community Bank produced three options.

Meander Valley councillors and members of a sports precinct working group favoured consolidating sporting, recreation and community facilities at the Deloraine Community Complex site, with the purchase of adjoining private land and upgrading of the Deloraine Primary School sports ground.

Facilities include: a new AFL oval, renovation of the Deloraine Community Complex building, a community park, little athletics facilities, two outdoor netball courts, an outdoor basketball court and a shared-use trail network connecting the wider community and schools to the site.

But last month, Deloraine Squash Club’s Corey Youd said councillors’ attitudes to the feasibility study risked it being “dumped and left”.

And with barely concealed anger, Deloraine Football Club president Shaun Donohue asked the council if they believed the regularly- flooded club rooms should be condemned.

“Council is doing very well out of us paying for a ground that’s rarely used in winter,” he said.

After the meeting, Mr Donohue said, “Our club is growing rapidly, we could easily add another three teams and with women’s football coming on line we need extra facilities.

“The last flood cost $200,000 in insurance and council funds to fix, and it will happen again. I can’t see the sense in building something new in its current location.”

Corey Youd labeled the town’s squash facilities as “ageing and failing” and blamed council staff for misleading councillors on the project’s financials.

“I’m greatly disappointed that the project has been packaged to councillors in a way that’s made it appear financially unviable,” he said.

Netball spokesperson Taneil Bloomfield, who is looking forward to new netball courts being built this financial year, later said Meander Valley councillors were conservative and lacked confidence in the project: “We need go-getters on the council, young people willing to see the future and create a fit and healthy community.”

In the meeting, when outgoing Mayor Craig Perkins along with Cllrs Bob Richardson and Deb White opposed supporting the project on financial grounds, it was left to Cllrs Andrew Connor, Michael Kelly and John Temple to rescue the situation.

Council eventually passed a motion including investigating an option to purchase land needed for the project to proceed. The land is adjacent to the Deloraine Community Complex and a five-year option at a price negotiated by the general manager would allow time to seek funding from Federal and State Government for the project.

Cllr Connor urged support for the motion, suggesting a special rate could be struck for Deloraine residents if the project went ahead; he said council should not be scared of big projects but that it has a poor record on attracting State and Federal funding.

But Cllr White said the facility’s cost was a “stumbling block” and Cllr Perkins said to support such a project “sets up expectations”. Even if initial funding was available, maintenance costs were high.

Shaun Donohue said he was embarrassed by Cllr Richardson’s comments that Westbury needed footpaths more than Deloraine needed recreation facilities: “We were talking about the Deloraine Precinct plan and all he could talk about was Westbury’s footpaths.

“Council just doesn’t have a vision for health and well-being in Deloraine. Even if our plan is too costly they’ve got to come to some arrangement soon because they’ve done nothing for so long.

“I love to see young Deloraine people playing sport, but anyone who’s any good has to go out of our area.”

Sports representatives said they were relieved council voted to investigate an option to buy the necessary land and they would discuss future moves at their next meeting.