Public debate on the future of Redfern Oval has taken many twists and turns over the past 5 years since the former South Sydney City Council initiated a task force to consider its future. In one team is the Rabbitohs patriarch and saviour George Piggins and leading the other team is defender of the parklands Clover Moore. There have been many speeches and heated public meetings and tonight's Council meeting will (or should) adopt a position for the Council staff to start the master planning for the redevelopment with some certainty. Council's report recommends that the Oval be upgraded to a first class training facility for Souths and the Juniors with a capacity of 8,000 spectators including a modern small stadium approximately to the size of the existing obsolete grand stand. The grand stand is to include appropriate facilities such as change rooms. The Souths position is a stadium capable of 1st grade games all season.
Most eCouncillor readers will be aware of the historic links the Souths Rugby League club has had with the Redfern Oval ground going back over half a century. Souths historically emerged from the oppressive over-crowded working class suburbs of Redfern Waterloo to become one of the great teams of League's classic era. George Piggins and his supporters seem intent on recapturing that lost glory by returning to Redfern Oval with various proposals for a ground capable of NRL 1st grade games. But the park, facilities and neighbourhood are just not capable of sustaining a permanent home for 1st grade games with facilities needed for over 20,000 spectators. The fair argument is also made that with the modern Aussie Stadium less than 2km away at Moore Park, Souths can train at Redfern Oval and play home games at Aussie retaining a close tie to their deep community roots that extend well beyong the immediate Redfern Waterloo community.
I support the Council proposal as a way forward but believe that Souths should have the ability to play a few 'heritage' matches at Redfern Oval each season. These would be the games expected to draw smaller crowds and be subject to a strict DA process to manage issues such as crowd control and traffic impacts. To facilitate this and the Koori Cup weekend the ground perimeter will need to be fenced. This can be done with hired temporary fencing as we see around the city regularly. However I am not opposed to an appropriately designed permanent perimeter fencing so long as large openings are in place on each side and the gates are open and closed each day by the Council. In fact as the report recommends the whole ground must remain in the control of the Council and not licensed to Souths as has been the historical situation.
Last week's Council Committee considered a proposal by the PCYC to have a youth club relocated from the nearby public housing estate to the base of the grandstand. This proposal was opposed by the Clover Moore councillors but I agreed that it warranted further investigation. There are some terrific synergies with community partnerships and League player mentoring that appear evident in this proposal. However a preliminary investigation by Council staff has recommended against the proposal based on significantly increased costs and the nearly 4 times larger grand stand needed to accommodate the club. The whole issue has spilled over into the State parliament with the local ALP member attacking Clover Moore (the MP for Bligh). I noted my Liberal colleague the gallant Barry O'Farrell riding in to Clover's defence.
Tonight's debate promises to be a historical moment for South and Piggins.
STOP PRESS
The following amendments proposed by me were adopted at the Council meeting. They leave open the opportunity for perimeter fencing that will satisfy Souths and South's Juniors playing some games on Redfern Oval.
Amendment to 8.2
add to (iii) after 'training ground'
(iii) Provision of facilities to allow the use of the ground as Souths NRL football club preferred training ground and subject to Plan of Management and Development Application processes, a ground for a limited number of preseason training or exhibition matches.
(ix) remove Cr McInerney additional amendment and replace with:
'investigate the possibility of new perimeter fencing of artistic and functional merit and designed by competition reflecting the Rabbitohs cultural and sporting connection to Redfern Oval. Such commemorative fencing will be as unobtrusive as possible and incorporate large retractable openings at gates and other points on the perimeter. The day to day operation and management of the gates and openings is to remain in Council's control.'
Moved Councillor Mallard
No comments:
Post a Comment