Page 1173 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 20 March 2013
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MR DOSZPOT: “Somewhat” is the word we used. $4.7 million probably will not get you an AIS athletics track, Minister Barr, but the point is, if you are going to hold grand prix meetings, then it should, within that $4.5 million—$4.7 million, whatever the final figure that you are going to be happy with—at least be compliant with grand prix activities. This is not the case under the current plan.
Instead, they have given the athletics community a least worst option, only preferred over a range of existing local community ovals and hardly a southside alternative to the AIS. Minister Barr said that the Woden site had been chosen because it was an existing site and that all the money would go to the track, lighting and new irrigation, and it was central.
Yes, all very well, but what about the many disadvantages? Not surprisingly, parking for a start. It is a big factor. We have seen that recently at Manuka, another upgraded sports facility that remains half done. I am very familiar with Woden enclosed oval, as it is home to Woden football club, and many matches are held there. If you have just an ordinary match on there, attracting a couple of hundred spectators at a local Saturday or Sunday game, you already have a parking problem, Mr Barr—for just 200, 300 people. There is nowhere to park.
At times it is bedlam and there are very, very limited options. The area is bounded by Yamba Drive as well as Kitchener Street. There is just absolutely nothing. The closest place that people could go if they wanted to get parking would be the Canberra Hospital. If that is the plan, Mr Barr, if we want to inconvenience the people who utilise the Canberra Hospital car park, if that is the underlying plan here, I think we have got a really big issue, because there is just nothing there where people could park if you want to get a thousand to 2,000 people, where already 200 rules out anything but bedlam.
For those who might believe there other options within reasonable walking distance of parking, let me assure you there is not, unless you believe it is perfectly acceptable to jam up an already fully utilised hospital car park. What will happen when a first-class athletics event is staged there? We are talking about perhaps upwards of 500, a thousand competitors, plus their families and followers.
Mr Barr: 500,000?
MR DOSZPOT: Five hundred or 1,000 and their families and followers. Do they choke up the hospital car park across the road? Or is part of the plan, not costed and not included in the $4.5 million budget development of a car park on current open space? Is it Eddison Park? That is certainly a very nice venue. I believe Mr Rattenbury would certainly not support that and neither would the community. But there is nothing else available—nothing else available where you could actually put a car park in this area.
Mr Barr: The CIT car parks.
MR DOSZPOT: The CIT car park is already full.
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