Call for input on new stadium

Horsham planners assessing the needs of a new multi-purpose sports stadium are gathering community opinion about how and what the project should offer potential users.

Horsham Rural City Council is surveying members of various Horsham district community clubs to find out what parts of a proposed stadium are important to them and how and how often they were likely to use the stadium.

The survey also asks people to list a preferred location for the stadium, but has only provided a shortlist of three of 11 original sites assessed, raising the ire of some community-sport advocates.

The shortlist includes Horsham Showground between Horsham velodrome and a greyhound-racing track, already the home of Horsham Basketball Stadium; Horsham Showground between the Wimmera River and the greyhound-racing track where carnival attractions usually set up for Horsham show; and vacant former rail depot land next to Mill Street on the northern side of the railway line.

The Horsham council accepted a feasibility study for the project last year, recognising a need for a ‘safe, compliant and modern facility to grow local sports and attract regional-level events’.

Project control group chairman Mark Radford said the council had been progressing four-court stadium development.

“The concept and design contract was awarded to William Ross Architects, a business the council has worked with on numerous occasions previously, including Horsham Town Hall,” he said.

“We’ve also developed a project control group, which is made up of representatives from the council, the consultants, Sport and Recreation Victoria, and representatives from local sporting groups and the broader community.”

Cr Radford said the next step in the process was to engage the broader community and gather its ideas about the ideal site for the development.

“Community engagement is a really important part of every project the council undertakes,” he said. “We’re looking forward to getting everyone’s ideas together so that we can make the right decision on where the stadium should be located.”

Unhappy

Horsham businessman, former Horsham councillor and long-time community sport advocate Kevin Dellar said he was unhappy and concerned the process had already eliminated all but three location options for the project.

“They’ve knocked out eight sites before the community has a chance to have a say. And what we’ve been left with are far from good enough,” he said.

Mr Dellar said he believed the most appropriate site was a Horsham west option either close or next to Horsham College, which had provision for outdoor as well as indoor sporting development.

People keen to have a say have until April 21 to complete the community survey. There were also informal information sessions at Horsham Library, Horsham Plaza and Horsham Aquatic Centre yesterday.

More information about how members of the public can contribute their ideas for the project will be available through the council’s website, Facebook page and public notices. People can complete the survey online at www.surveymonkey.com/r/horshamstadium/