MORE than 300 people packed the auditorium at the Sir Robert Helpmann Theatre on Wednesday night in a show of support for a proposed indoor pool and sports complex.
Around 400 apologies were received for the community meeting, which was called early this week by a working group representing four of the city’s major sporting codes.
The meeting followed Mount Gambier City Council’s announcement it would allocate $30,000 in this year’s budget towards concept plans and feasibility studies ahead of a potential bid for federal funding.
The 300 community members in attendance unanimously endorsed the formation of a steering group to drive the project and submit an application through the Federal Government’s $272.2m Regional Growth Fund.
“The initial application needs to be lodged by April 30 – hence this meeting tonight,” Member for Barker Tony Pasin said in his address to the crowd.
“I can’t think of a better project than this one and ultimately this is about community support, not government led outcomes.
“The Regional Growth Fund is not the only opportunity – happy days if it is successful – but if it is unsuccessful we will as a community have determined what our vision for Olympic Park is and importantly we will have a shovel-ready project.”
A number of sporting clubs representing netball, tennis, basketball and swimming outlined the benefits of the proposed state-of-the-art facility for their respective sporting groups.
The audience heard tennis in Mount Gambier had been on a “downward trend” for several years and a new facility represented hope for the future of the sport in the city, while the Ice House, Olympic Park netball courts and Mount Gambier Aquatic Centre were operating at capacity.
Member for Mount Gambier Troy Bell said the project would require community collaboration.
“Because this is more than just an indoor swimming pool, it will actually be a sporting precinct, all codes need to work together,” Mr Bell said.
“Even if this facility does not directly benefit a particular sporting group or organisation, this is great for Mount Gambier and our region – we need to talk positively and work together to make it happen and I am confident we can achieve it.”
He added the State Liberal Government had two funds the application would likely be eligible for.
“There is both the $150m Regional Development Fund and the $900m Royalties for Regions fund,” he said.
Council chief executive Mark McShane said the facility would most likely feature three or four multi-use indoor courts including a show court with retractable seating, an indoor aquatics facility, smaller specialty pool, gym or allied health area, kiosk, creche, administration office and change rooms while the aquatic centre’s 50m outdoor pool would remain.
“The concept will depend on stakeholder engagement and available funding, but generally that is the configuration for a facility of this nature for a city this size,” he said.
“We estimate this facility will operate at a loss of about $1.5m per year.
“Similar centres across the state have introduced a stepped rate increase over three or four years of between $50 and $100 per rate payer – around $20 per year depending on the size and operating costs of the facility.”
Attendees endorsed a plan to develop a community indoor/outdoor recreation and sporting facility for the Limestone Coast and the formation of a steering committee to progress the development.
