Adelaide Comets Football Club have appealed for council to overturn fence decision
One of the SA’s top soccer clubs wants to erect a fence around one of its pitches, but instead is forking out thousands for its two premier league teams to play away from home because Adelaide City Council won’t let it upgrade.
SA News
Don't miss out on the headlines from SA News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
One of the SA’s top soccer clubs is forking out $35,000 a year for its two premier league soccer teams to play away from home because Adelaide City Council won’t let it upgrade its home-ground.
Adelaide Comets Football Club wants to erect a 1.1m high fence around one of its pitches in the Adelaide Park lands to comply with Football Australia requirements to host National Premier League matches.
The club will appeal to the council at Tuesday night’s meeting to overturn its decision made earlier this month that stopped the erection of a fence, in a move which was labelled by Premier Peter Malinauskas as being “crazy”.
It has also prompted a 1500-signature petition gathered in two days in support of the Comets – a club with 600 registered players.
Comets board member Daniel Raschella said the fence was a safety requirement to host its National Premier League and Women’s National Premier League teams at home, instead of at ServiceFM Stadium, at Gepps Cross, which costs it about $35,000 a year in fees.
“We have no grand plans to develop anything further, we generally want to get our senior teams home,” he told The Advertiser.
“What’s really disappointing is that we know there are multiple venues in our parklands that have higher fencing and some of those are closed (to the public) unless you’re a member.
“This fence is strictly there as a safety measure and as a requirement by FIFA and the intent is that we would make sure the gates (to the field) were open when games aren’t on.”
The Comets had received $1.7m in state government funding to upgrade its home-ground at Ellis Park which included erecting the fence around a pitch – which would be accessible to the public on non-game days.
Mr Raschella said the club had worked with council staff for a number of years on the proposal, which had received support from the Adelaide Park Lands Authority and had been recommended for approval.
However, after a lengthy debate councillors earlier this month voted 5-4 that the proposal for the fence be rejected due to the possibility it could set a “precedent” for the parklands and create an illusion that the public would be excluded.
Councillor Mary Couros has tabled a motion in Tuesday night’s agenda for the council to overturn its original decision to ensure it supports recreational sports and grassroots clubs in the park lands.
“I’m hoping over the last two weeks some councillors have had the opportunity to reflect and ask questions of administration to make an informed decision on Tuesday night,” Cr Couros said.
Councillor Carmel Noon has also tabled a motion to see the matter sent back to a council committee for ‘further workshopping’.
Mali unveils plan to boost housing supply by slashing red tape
Premier Peter Malinauskas has revealed his plan to ease the housing crisis and cut red tape for major projects.
Albo ditches flood-hit NQ to take taxpayer jet to Labor fundraiser
The Prime Minister left flood-ravaged North Queensland to attend a Labor fundraising dinner in Brisbane, using his taxpayer-funded jet for a trip that lasted just six hours.