Vol. No. Vol. 2518No. 5027
Wednesday, January 13, 2023 2016 Wednesday, June 28,
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WIN: Volleyball Horsham president David Berry and Horsham Tigers Cricket Club president Conor Lawson at the site of a proposed Horsham sport facility on Dimboola Road. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER
Future of sport A
BY JESSICA GRIMBLE
green light to progress plans for a multi-precinct sporting development in Horsham is a ‘redletter day’ for the region, Wimmera clubs say.
Horsham councillors endorsed a Wimmera Regional Multi-Sport Precinct Feasibility Study at a meeting on Monday night. The plan includes prioritising a regional indoor sports stadium at Horsham Community Oval on Dimboola Road. Concept plans include outdoor netball courts and a municipal hockey pitch. Dudley Cornell Park in Horsham North would include a municipal athletics facility and local cricket ovals with additional car parking; while additional tennis courts would create a regionally-significant facility at Haven. Municipal-level soccer pitches, a
local cricket oval, community hub and open space is also included in concept plans for Haven. Detailed plans will now advance for the project, which could cost $56 million. Volleyball Horsham’s David Berry said the plan was long-awaited. “This is a red-letter day,” he said. “It’s been 35 years in the making and full credit to the council for showing the guts to put this project in place. “It will be absolutely magnificent for all indoor sports – not just volleyball – and sports that use the Dimboola Road precinct.” Horsham Tigers Cricket Club, formerly known as Jung Tigers as a result of various amalgamations, would relocate to Haven from Dimboola Road under the plan. President Conor Lawson said the club was undertaking a strategic planning process, which could consid-
er opportunities to work with other sports for mutual, long-term benefit and sustainability. “We are happy to move to Haven – we’re just trying to make sure, in the interim period, we’re looked after so we don’t fall over with a lack of infrastructure,” he said. Haven’s Sue Exell said Monday’s vote was ‘bittersweet’. Mrs Exell said the Haven community was ‘grateful’ to be considered the ideal site for a regional tennis centre; but, as a former Horsham councillor, she hoped the council had thoroughly considered previous calls to develop a single precinct near Jenkinson Avenue and Remlaw Road. The site is currently private farming land. “Haven Recreation Reserve is the perfect location for community sports and activities and we have been waiting 30 years for it to be developed into a sports hub,” she said.
“In reality, regional-standard facilities should all be in the one dedicated location – preferably on the Jenkinson land. What if it really was possible to go for the big regional sports vision? “But, if it absolutely has to be the dispersed model, then bring it on – as soon as possible – so our clubs can finally have some decent facilities.”
Councillors decide
Councillors voted 4-3 to endorse the feasibility study. Consultation with Wimmera clubs and user groups, and state sporting associations; and considering population and participation trends for the next 10 to 20 years deemed a single precinct was not financially viable, nor possible due to land availability. Instead, the study identified that a mix of regional, municipal and local facilities would best cater for current and emerging needs – classified in ac-
cordance with participation numbers and population. A distributed model provided affordable upgrade options that could be implemented as funding became available. Cr Penny Flynn said current facilities had not changed in decades – and many were not compliant with present-day standards. “It must be really disheartening for people of my age to take their children to sporting events and to participate in local sport at facilities that were not fantastic when we were playing sport as children,” she said. “There were people before us that had courage to create the town hall and a heated swimming pool that myself and lots of other people didn’t have for a very long time – and they are now some of the key things people look for when they choose to relocate to Horsham.” Continued page 5
IN THIS ISSUE • Changing face of Horsham business • Monthly AgLife • Volleyballers crowned Phone: 03 5382 1351 Read it online: www.theweeklyadvertiser.com.au
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