District Park plans in limbo after Northern Beaches Council halts negotiations with Arena REIT
COUNCILLORS unanimously voted to halt negotiations with developer Arena REIT to allow it to lease the 62ha sport and recreation precinct known as District Park.
Manly
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SPORTING clubs on the District Park site have been left in limbo after Northern Beaches Council unanimously voted to stop negotiations with its preferred tenderer to manage the land.
A rescission motion to halt negotiations with developer Arena REIT was passed on Tuesday, but councillors failed to provide any more clarity on a way forward before the meeting ended.
The 62ha sport and recreation precinct in Manly Vale is known as District Park includes North Manly Bowling Club and Warringah Golf Club among other sports, with the council looking for one entity to build an all encompassing clubhouse.
The decision to abort talks with ASX 300 listed Arena, and its partner ClubLinks — the operator of Moore Park golf course — happened in a closed-door meeting due to financial sensitivities of the tender process.
It took more than two hours of debate to discuss two confidential items, before councillors legally had to stop at 11.30pm.
The council will now have to have an extra meeting next Tuesday to determine the best way forward.
Until then it essentially takes the tender process back to the drawing board, with three possible tenders on the table:
• Arena REIT and ClubLinks;
• Warringah Golf Club, Tennis Australia and Next Generation Fitness;
• Manly Leagues Club and North Manly Bowling Club;
The tender was to manage the whole site and build a multi-sport clubhouse where North Manly Bowling Club stands.
The bowling club — which had merged with Manly Warringah Leagues Club — will close on Friday after it became apparent to the leagues club its tender was unsuccessful.
Before the councillors entered into private discussions a packed public gallery delivered a heated message to councillors before their vote, with more than 100 users of the precinct in attendance.
They hurled abuse at councillors, booed and hissed. They also cheered when pro-rescission councillors spoke.
At the meeting members of the Save District Park group presented a petition with more than 4000 signatures calling for the tender process to be scrapped.
One of the group’s spokesman, Matt Ingersole delivered an impassioned speech to cheers from the packed gallery.
He argued that giving the land to Arena and Golf Links was taking opportunity away form locally run groups.
“You have given our clubs no real chance,” he said.
“Clubs that have been serving the northern beaches for over 60 years. Clubs that have a deep connection with our local community. Clubs that promote social cohesion.”
North Manly Bowling Club is due to close on Friday, and the lack of a definite motion means chances of a last minute lifeline to save the club appear slim.
At the meeting Mr Ingersole told councillors their actions had put not only the bowling club, but the future of the golf club and Manly Leagues at risk.
“All for what?” he said. “Putt putt, a cafe, golf simulation?
He struggled with the council handing over the land in a lease to a company that primarily deals with childcare and a golf group which “believes the golf industry should be pay-to-play”.
“They are putting a lot of money in and need to get it all back,” he said at the meeting.
“And on top of this they need to turn a healthy profit.”
Mayor Michael Regan copped the brunt of the criticism from the gallery on Tuesday.
He said the presence of a full gallery “showed the level of passion for District Park and what happens there”.
“I share that passion and continue my commitment to a great outcome for our community,” he said.
“Council is on the same page with the community here. We are progressing a process which ensures District Park remains in public ownership and provides a long term, sustainable sports and recreation hub for locals for the next 30 years.
“To be absolutely clear — the tender process facilitates a lease. At no time have we considered privatising, selling off or putting residential development on the site and we have been open and transparent about this from the beginning.
“This public land remains in public ownership. I am optimistic though if we all work together we cannot only save District Park but make it a wonderful, affordable sports facility for the whole community.”
Liberal CR david Walton moved the rescission motion and said he did so because “members of the community contacted us with their disappointment over the previous motion to only negortiate with Arena”.
“We moved the motion to support the community and support the community clubs,” he said.
After the meeting Cr Stuart Sprott, who also pushed for a rescission motion told the Manly Daily it was a “great outcome”.
“Obviously people power won in the end.”
While he acknowledged the lack of an outcome by the meetings end left things in limbo, particularly for bowlers he said it was a step in the right direction.
“At least now they have got a seat at the table, at least we have the them in the negotiations,” he said of the bowling and golf clubs.
“I am just really happy for the local community they now have a seat at the table to negotiate for a better outcome for the community.”
Arena REIT was contacted but declined to comment.