Sea Eagles yet to lodge ‘detailed proposal’ for Brookvale Oval $35m upgrade
MANLY-WARRINGAH Sea Eagles are yet to submit a formal proposal to get State Government funding to upgrade Brookvale Oval, according to the NSW Office of Sport.
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MANLY-WARRINGAH Sea Eagles are yet to submit a formal proposal to get State Government funding to upgrade Brookvale Oval, according to the NSW Office of Sport.
It follows a report that an announcement of a $35 million upgrade was imminent — which came as news to the stadium’s owner, Northern Beaches Council.
Mayor Michael Regan said today he was not expecting an announcement on a proposed 3000-seat grandstand and new centre of excellence, which was reported as imminent by The Daily Telegraph.
“It is the first I have heard of it, “ Cr Regan said.
“We have been working with the current CEO (Lyall Gorman) since he began and they have employed a third party to assist with their plans.
“We have left them to deal with the relevant parties to come back to us with their plan of attack or wishlist.”
The NRL club was contacted but did not return calls.
But a spokeswoman for the Office of Sport said: “The Manly Sea Eagles are yet to submit a detailed proposal... for their Centre of Excellence.
“When the Government has received a proposal it will evaluate it against the Centre of Excellence guidelines.”
In 2011 Warringah Council consultation showed a thirst for a mix of low-rise residential, commercial and retail as well as a tertiary education presence as part of a broader development of Brookvale Oval.
Cr Regan has consistently said this could be achieved by offering a long-term lease to a developer for the land south of the oval in return for a stadium upgrade and regular ground maintenance.
He said the funds would not improve the existing ageing infrastructure, but rather provide extensions.
“From what I read, that $35 million would be a reasonably accurate number for 4000 seats and a centre of excellence,” he said. “That wouldn’t include anything else.”
He expected plans to be shown to the council before they were released, saying the preferred option would still be for the State Government to take over the land.
“Ideally the council will have significant input in to what happens there,” he said. “Our original position was it should go into a State Government trust.
“That has always been our position but that has been rejected every time.”
Any new money coming into the facility would add to the about $1 million in ratepayer costs per year, through depreciation and maintenance.
“Two per cent of the $35 million would be the minimum cost to the ratepayer in depreciation that comes off our bottom line,” Cr Regan said.