Clubs say Walkerville Oval upgrade a pipe dream
A GRAND plan to upgrade Walkerville Oval is a pipe dream, the site's myriad of clubs say.
After 14 years of plans, reports and consultation, Walkerville Council has released three options for the 177-year-old oval - minus any costings - which include new clubrooms and a grandstand.
Clubs told the City North Messenger the council plans crammed too much into the 3.8ha footprint, but in any case they had no faith the council would ever complete the project.
Walkerville Football Club secretary Dennis Schlein doubted the proposal would ever be delivered as the council "procrastinates too much".
"There's been a plan around since 2000 for the sports club and it's just got smaller, and smaller, and smaller," Mr Schlein said. "The concept is fine - but I'm 60 and will I be around when it's done?"
Mr Schlein said the area was too small for what the council wanted to do.
"The big problem is where they are going to fit the bowling club and the YMCA?"
The RSL said the council's "heart wasn't in" the project.
Walkerville RSL sub-branch president Craig Steel said the club's 150 members were unconvinced Walkerville Council would upgrade the oval, but if it did, the gardens were off limits.
Mr Steel said the club was "vehemently opposed" to changes shown in plans drawn up by consultants recently.
"We are not happy and we will not stand by idly and let the Memorial Rose Garden be moved into a smaller, little location," Mr Steel
Tell us what you think. Should Walkerville Oval be upgraded? Will all the clubs fit on that site? Do you have faith Walkerville Council will get the job done?
The council's option one includes a new clubhouse and grandstand built for the Walkerville Football Club and a shared clubroom.
Under option two, the bowling club would be shifted to Broadview Oval to accommodate a shared clubroom, sports hub with a basketball court and 58 extra car parks.
The bowling greens and cricket nets would be ripped up to make room for 86 more car parks and a large sporting hub under the third option.
Acting Mayor Carolyn Wigg said the council was only at the "exploration" stage, despite paying One Eighty Sports and Leisure Solutions $41,500 to design the new plans, thanks to a State Government grant.
Walkerville Cricket Club secretary Ian Mazure-Johnstone agreed not all clubs would fit on the site.
"A sporting hub is exactly what the community needs," Mr Mazure-Johnstone said.
"But I think it will be a bit tight. It could be a struggle."
Walkerville Bowling Club president Bernie Curtis would not say if he liked the plan because he did not want to "make waves".
"We're just going to sit back on the fence and wait to see what materialises."
Councillors voted last week to have more plans drawn up to slot the bowling club in at the corner of Warwick St and Church Tce and rip up the Memorial Gardens.
Cr Tony Reade and Cr Gianni Busato criticised the options, saying they were evidence the site was too small for the council's big ideas. The plan is due back at the Sport and Recreation Department by September 2014 for funding consideration.
"We are in fairy land because what this shows me is you can't get everything on here," Cr Busato said.
"None of these options are acceptable.
"We have to make the tough call of what goes and what stays."
Plans to redevelop the site date back to 1999 when Nairn Architects drew up plans for a sporting hub.
Tell us what you think. Should Walkerville Oval be upgraded? Will all the clubs fit on that site? Do you have faith Walkerville Council will get the job done?