$25 million stadium report not feasible

Baw Baw Shire councillors have called for a further report into indoor stadiums after being presented with an unfeasible $25 million plan to upgrade Warragul Leisure Centre and Bellbird Park stadiums.

Cr Danny Goss said he was not happy with the report.

He said the report identified limited capacity for netball and basketball in the shire, but that was about all.

“I didn’t need a report to tell me that. It also says we need more courts in the next 10 years, but I didn’t need a report to tell me that either.

Cr Goss said the report indicated $16 million needed to be spent on the WLC indoor stadium and another $9 million at Bellbird Park.

“Council doesn’t have that money so the report isn’t of much value at all.

“This report seems limited in its sports. Was the bigger picture considered here for what these stadiums could be used for?’ he said.

Cr Goss said more consultation needed to be undertaken “before this report even gets to first base.”

The aim of the Baw Baw Shire Council Indoor Stadium Feasibility Study was to conduct a comprehensive analysis of current conditions, usage and operation of existing indoor facilities within the shire.

The study also investigated the future needs and demands for indoor sports courts and works required at existing facilities and new sites.

Council currently has five indoor sports stadiums, one being situated in Rawson.

The study investigated and provided concept layout options and costings for a staged expansion of Warragul Leisure Centre and stadium expansion at Bellbird Park. The WLC works included: Stage one – two new courts, retractable seating for 1000 spectators, amenities, and car parking - $9.4 million.

Stage two – two additional courts, additional car parking and conversion of the existing two courts - $7.19 million.

Works proposed at Bellbird Park, totalled almost $9 million, included two new courts, amenities and car parking.

Cr Peter Kostos said the report was extensive but the costs involved were exorbitant.

He said council needed to re-look at the costings and what was being offered.

Cr Keith Cook said sporting facilities were important to the community but this report did not address growth needs in other towns like Trafalgar.

He said the report also did not show hours of operation and whether the facilities could be used more.

Cr Michael Leaney said he did not think the consultants had “thought outside the square.”

“There are growing needs in Trafalgar and Yarragon as well so is it wise to put all eggs in one basket as suggested in this report.

“There is a very good basketball stadium that sits idle in Rawson yet that isn’t even in the report,” Cr Leaney said.

Key findings of the report revealed:

Basketball is one of the highest participation sports (1600 to 2000 players) with significantly more junior players (65 per cent) to senior players (35 per cent) and an increase of approximately 10 per cent each year in the shire;

Netball also has a high participation sport, with more than 800 participants not including players competing in the traditional Saturday football netball league competitions.

It is assumed that due to the younger age profile of the Baw Baw area, participation in indoor sporting activities will increase in line with the predicted population increases and demographic profile.

Likely participation in indoor sports could increase to between 2500 and 3000 people by 2026.

There is limited capacity at the existing facilities to address the predicted future participation growth that is anticipated as a result of population growth and the development of the Basketball Association and other smaller indoor sporting codes.

Netball Victoria and Basketball Victoria identified that based on available usable court hours, one sports court can accommodate 500 people per week. This is based on an average use per person of 2.8 hours per week (training and competition). Based on this ratio the total number of courts required over the next 10 years to service the increasing needs for the Baw Baw population is between 5 and 6 courts.

Given there are two, multiple court facilities in Baw Baw it is estimated that an additional one to two courts will be required in the next 10 years.