Page 1176 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 20 March 2013
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Sport and Recreation Services, who have directorate responsibility for the project, have been meeting with ACT Athletics, ACT little athletics, the Veterans Athletic Club and Capital Football, the most recent meeting being only a few weeks ago, in February, to provide feedback about the feasibility study, including the recommendation to redevelop Woden park.
Looking at the project time frame, construction of the facility would start at the conclusion of the 2013 football season, and will not disturb the use of the facility by Capital Football and the Woden Valley Soccer Club. The users of Woden enclosed oval will also benefit from an upgraded irrigation system and a new playing surface, as well as, as I have mentioned, if we can fit this within the project budget, the new lighting.
Approximately $4½ million is available from the “where will we play” capital works appropriation to progress this project. In accordance with that particular project funding, the “where will we play” project funding, this particular project will reduce the potable water use through converting the athletics track to a synthetic surface and also reduce water use through the upgrading of the irrigation system for the football field and the transition to more drought-tolerant couch grass to reduce total water consumption on the site.
I will be meeting with representatives of ACT Athletics, little athletics and veterans athletics to further discuss this project. That meeting is scheduled for next week. These are the peak bodies for athletics in the ACT. They have a representative role to ensure they represent the views of their member clubs. I understand that little athletics had a meeting last night and determined that their president would be their spokesperson on these matters. I look forward to continuing those discussions with the peak bodies.
My office has already had considerable discussions with these stakeholders over the last year. I am confident that in the detailed design of this project we can alleviate any concerns that little athletics have raised and find a constructive way forward on the matter. To this end I have circulated an amendment to Mr Doszpot’s motion. I move:
Omit all words after subparagraph (1)(a), substitute:
“(b) the ACT Labor Government committed to undertake a study and consult with stakeholders on the ideal location for this purpose built facility;
(c) that this study was completed and consultation was undertaken with Little Athletics, Athletics ACT and Masters Athletics;
(d) that Woden Enclosed Oval was selected as the preferred site;
(e) that the purpose of this facility is to provide a synthetic track outside of the AIS for all athletics user groups to utilise, not just those based in the Woden region;
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