Marlins hail decision to scrap carpark under Manly Oval as ‘great for the community’

President elect of the Manly Marlins Anthony Bergelin has hailed the decision to stop a carpark under Manly Oval as great for the community.

Manly Rugby presisdent elect Anthony Bergelin at Manly Oval. Picture:Annika Enderborg.

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President elect of the Manly Marlins Anthony Bergelin has hailed the decision to terminate the contract to build a 500 place carpark under Manly Oval as great for the community and the local rugby club.

He said the plan, which was endorsed by the five Liberal councillors on the old Manly Council, had threatened the future of the Marlins who have played at Manly Oval for over a century.

Bergelin attended Tuesday’s council meeting with a delegation from the Marlins when Northern Beaches Council administrator Dick Persson announced the controversial project had been scrapped.

“It is a great decision for the community and for the Manly Marlins, who will now be able to play their rugby on Manly Oval next year,” Bergelin said.

The Manly Marlins play the Warringah Rats at Manly Oval. Picture: Braden Fastier.

“The DA was flawed and it didn’t protect our interests.

“It reduced the size of the ground significantly and would have placed in jeopardy our ability to play rugby in the future at Manly Oval.

“It is not the longest ground in the Shute Shield now and any encroachment on the dead ball line would have created safety risks.”

Bergelin admitted it had been a difficult few months for the club as they fought to save their spiritual home, and they always knew it would be.

“We’ve had our motives questioned by a lot of prominent Manly figures and we’ve just had to stay on course and continue to act in the best interests of Manly rugby club,” he said.

Anthony Bergelin and Marlins solicitor Lorne Havenstein at Manly Council Chambers.

He said he was disappointed there hadn’t been consultation or engagement with the rugby club as one of the key stakeholders at Manly Oval.

Bergelin also fired a shot at the Manly Cricket Club describing their absence from the oval debate as “breathtaking”.

“The cricket club secured a significant upgrade of Graham’s Reserve from the council and they showed no interest in supporting the Marlins, who certainly did not receive the same consideration from the Council,” Bergelin said.

He said the club was not anti-development but hoped any future plans would take into account the club’s interests.

Bergelin also said the outcome was a demonstration of people power and that the online petition the club ran was particularly effective.