$16m sports hub plan for the North scaled back
A MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR sports hub plan to transform Max Amber Sportsfield will be “significantly scaled down” after nearly half the residents surveyed rejected the plans.
A MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR sports hub at Max Amber Sportsfield will be “significantly scaled down” after nearly half the residents surveyed rejected the plans.
Campbelltown Council signed off on an unfunded masterplan for the Paradise site in October, but community consultation revealed a raft of concerns.
Almost half (49 per cent) of the 157 respondents objected to the two main plans on the table, which would have cost either $16m or $14.9m, and included options such as shifting the main oval, building new clubrooms, moving the tennis courts and installing a second soccer pitch.
Councillors voted at last month’s meeting to upgrade the existing building rather than build new clubrooms, with chief executive officer Paul Di Iulio saying the council would now proceed with a watered-down version of the masterplan.
“There was a clear message from the report ... there is strong support for something being done,” he said.
“It will be a significantly scaled down version of the masterplan.”
The survey also revealed concerns about selling some of the land for housing, increased traffic and noise, the possible relocation of the tennis courts, overcrowding associated with an extra soccer pitch and the loss of trees and open space.
Resident Robert Fortunaso spoke out at the council meeting against the two multimillion-dollar options, slamming them as a waste of ratepayers money.
“I don’t think this plan is really suitable for this area,” he said.
“I don’t think our area is ever going to be a major sports hub, nor should it be.
“People come to this area for ... the tranquillity.”
Tony Williams, president of Athelstone Cricket Club — which is based at the complex — said it was a commonsense move to drop the multi-million dollars plans.
Mr Williams wanted instead to focus on improving the playing surface — which often became a “slushpile” during wet weather — and more practical change rooms.
“It was overkill,” he said of the two initial masterplans proposed.
“You don’t need to go that crazy, but something has to happen there.
“If you can’t watch sport from the clubrooms, you won’t patronise it. The clubrooms are below surface level.
“We’d want an upgrade of the clubrooms or a relocation on a smaller scale.”
Mayor Simon Brewer said last week developing a new plan was now a top priority.
“Some of the negative responses were about the tennis club losing their independence ... being forced to have netball on their courts,” he said.
“That would not be the case with the right management model and I don’t think that is understood.
“We know there are complex problems at the site and it will take time to work through the solutions.”
Longtime Cr Max Amber — who the sportsfield is named after — said he supported an upgrade of the existing sportsfield rather than a more expensive rebuild.
“It is the will of the people,” he said.
“I’m happy about it.”
Further options for the site will be provided at a later date.
The sportsfield is the home of a host of clubs including Athelstone football, tennis and soccer clubs.