MOMENTUM is building for the Mount Gambier Regional Sport and Recreation Centre following endorsement by Mount Gambier City Council to create a community reference group consisting of 17 key stakeholders.
The group will play a key role in representing the community by providing input into the design, functionality and operations of the proposed centre to ensure current and future needs of potential users are considered.
With a range of diverse skills and volunteer experience, the 17 members come from a variety of backgrounds, including sports, schools, youth and health and well-being.
Acting council chief executive Judy Nagy said the establishment of the group would help make the potential facility the best it could possibly be.
“These 17 members are going to be our sounding board for the community and they will work with the council committee to develop the project,” Ms Nagy said.
Excited to be chosen as one of the 17 members in the group, Scott Martin said he looked forward to adding the community’s views to the facility.
“I have two daughters involved in netball and having lived in Mount Gambier for 99pc of my life, the sporting facilities are just not up to scratch,” Mr Martin said.
“However this is not just about sport, I want to contribute to making this centre the best it can possibly be when it comes to tourism and economic growth for the region.”
Reference group members
Graham Dowie – representing schools, sport/recreation club
Julie Moran – swimming
Scott Martin – netball
Tom Kosch – basketball
Phil Lowe – swimming
Hazel Grant – allied health care providers
Lisa Thomas – schools
James Stephenson – community group
Jamie MacDonald – swimming
Yvette Holmes – netball
Matthew Charlton – tennis
Peter Collins – secondary school, swim club, sports/recreation
Nathan Stratford – sporting/recreation clubs
Ethan Hopgood – community youth
Matthew Sutton – sporting/recreation club, basketball
Councillor Frank Morello said the excitement among group members was evident at the first meeting held on Wednesday night.
“The ideas that were already being floated were just fantastic,” Cr Morello said.
“For example, Nathan Stratford suggested the idea of having a sporting gallery to highlight our local sporting legends.
“That’s what this group is all about, coming up with great ideas and I just cannot wait to work with these people.”
While the project has gained significant momentum over the past few months, the centre will not become a reality if the council’s application for $20m from the Australian Government Regional Growth Fund is unsuccessful.
“Without funding from the government, it cannot go ahead,” Ms Nagy said.
“It may be that our application is unsuccessful, however we will be well-prepared to give it another go at the next round of grants.”
The council is preparing for all scenarios, however elected members are confident the expression of interest they have put forward for the grant is a strong one.
“A key criteria of the grant is that projects need to be ‘shovel-ready’ and we believe we have put forward a well-developed concept to be successful,” Ms Nagy said.
Despite the plans for the project only being outlined in recent months, Mayor Andrew Lee said it had been “brewing” for a long time.
“Eleven years ago a document was prepared for this very project and it is exciting to see how far it has come this year,” Mr Lee
said.
“We are now looking to be transparent in our approach and invite the community to contribute their ideas.”
Meanwhile, work continue to assess the final cost and develop plans for the potential facility.
“We are undertaking appropriate financial analysis and needs analysis, but we understand people have questions,” Ms Nagy said.
“All questions will be answered.”
