Central Coast Council financial crisis puts new sports, recreation infrastructure at risk

An indoor stadium, children’s playgrounds and ovals are among dozens of projects at risk of being delayed or scrapped after Central Coast Council’s Mayor and all councillors were suspended due to the council’s worsening financial crisis. SEE THE FULL LIST HERE.

The $11m "stage two" development of the Central Coast Regional Sporting and Recreation Complex at Tuggerah could be the first casualty of council’s financial crisis. Picture: supplied

• Council crisis: Where to from here?
• Coast MPs react to council suspension

Children’s playgrounds, ovals, amenities buildings and sporting field lighting upgrades are among dozens of projects at risk of being mothballed because of council’s worsening financial crisis.

They are the projects some sports clubs and suburbs have waited on for years and the 2020-21 financial year was going to be their time to shine.

But dozens of projects, upgrades and new facilities included in this year’s budget face the prospect of being delayed or scrapped completely given council’s fiscal woes and an incoming Administrator’s need to focus on essential services over non-essential capital works.

The $11m "stage two" development of the Central Coast Regional Sporting and Recreation Complex at Tuggerah could be shelved or scrapped indefinitely. Picture: supplied

Councillor Greg Best, who has been campaigning for greater clarity around council’s financial management for nearly two years, said it was haemorrhaging money and had “no discretionary funds”.

“Clearly the first casualties will be the non-essentials,” he said.

“The council is on life support. While skate parks, playgrounds and new animal care facilities are nice, they will have to take a back seat. We are struggling to pay wages.”

Progress to the boardwalk construction and ocean pool refurbishment at the southern end of Terrigal Beach could grind to a halt if council cannot pay its staff. Picture: News Local / Troy Snook

In council’s 2020-21 budget, adopted in July, it states since amalgamation on May 12, 2016, the cumulative operating surplus — before capital income — from May 13, 2016 to June 30, 2019 was $72.9 million.

But little over one financial year later the council is staring down a $89 million deficit.

Resurfacing Central Coast Stadium’s pitch and lighting upgrades may be postponed.

Here are some of the projects earmarked for completion in this financial year’s budget at risk of being delayed or going unfinished:

■ Resurfacing of Central Coast Stadium’s pitch at a cost of $900,000 along with upgrades to its lighting towers at $390,100.

■ Upgrades to The Entrance Town Centre including stage two of the anti-terrorism bollards (525,000), new tiles at $375,000 and upgrade of the disabled and public toilets at Memorial Park ($150,000).

Anti-terrorism measures at The Entrance Town Centre, new tiles and toilet upgrade could be put on ice. (AAP Image/Sue Graham)

■ Sporting facility development at Colongra worth $500,000.

■ A new recreation facility at Lake Munmorah worth $1,550,000.

■ A new $1.65 million regional playground at Sun Valley Park, Green Point.

■ A new $300,000 playground at Tunkuwallin Oval, Gwandalan.

■ After securing grants and waiting years, the Killarney Vale Bombers may have to wait a few more years before it gets a $797,424 upgrade to its amenities building.

Killarney Vale Bombers women will have to wait longer for dedicated change rooms under plans to rebuild the club’s amenities. (AAP Image / Mark Scott)

■ Stage two of the $750,000 shared pathway at Magenta.

■ Replacement of Wamberal Beach public toilet near Wiles Ave worth $355,662 and new public toilets at MacMasters Beach at a cost of $506,495.

■ Further upgrades to James Browne Oval, Woy Woy, including sports ground lighting worth $380,000.

Woy Woy may be waiting longer for its new public wharf.

■ The long awaited $5.7 million construction of stage two of Woy Woy Wharf.

■ A new playground at John Peter Howard Reserve, San Remo.

■ A $300,000 upgrade to the BMX track at Duffy’s Reserve, Terrigal, to go with works which have already started to replace an amenities building.

The BMX track at Terrigal might not get its new makeover this year. (AAP Image/Sue Graham)

■ A $4.29 million replacement of the Peninsula Leisure Centre’s heating, airconditioning and ventilation system.

■ A $1.35 million building upgrade at Rogers Park sports ground, along with a $300,000 lighting upgrade at Kanwal Oval and a $365,000 upgrade to Warnervale Oval.

The current crisis may even through a cloud over the $5.1 million allocated to the completion of the Terrigal Boardwalk and the $500,000 upgrade of the nearby rock pool.

Work on the $2.9 million refurbishment of Adcock Park could be delayed by financial constraints.

It could also bring the $2.9 million redevelopment of Adcock Park to a grinding halt if council continues to be unable to pay its own staff.

Terrigal State Liberal MP Adam Crouch said the NSW Government had provided more than $104 million in grant funding over the past two years, which had seen projects promised to “one end of the coast to the other”.

“It would be tragic if the community missed out on these fantastic infrastructure projects as a result of the council’s financial mismanagement,” he said.