Wangaratta’s punt on AFL dream

Source: Wangaratta Chronicle 13.08.08

Council kicks on with plan to make showgrounds ‘elite’ sport precinct

Written by Philip Nolan.

THE plan to upgrade the Wangaratta Showgrounds to a multi-million dollar "elite" sporting facility is gathering pace.

A preliminary scoping study of what will be required is well under way, and initial talks have already been held with the Australian Football League to ascertain its requirements.

The Rural City of Wangaratta hopes to establish a premier regional sporting precinct at the showgrounds, with a view to regularly winning both Ovens and Murray Football League grand finals and also AFL pre-season matches.

This will be in addition to major cricket and other sporting fixtures.

However, a key component of the plan will be the removal of the existing cycling track around the oval, which has obvious implications for the Wangaratta Cycling Club and the Australia Day sports carnival.

Rural city chief executive officer, Doug Sharp, in confirming the progress on the project, said the council was "acutely aware" of the impact that the removal of the cycle track could have.

"We will be consulting very comprehensively with both the sports carnival committee and the cycle club to look at all options," he said.

"We are keen to know what the carnival committee feels about the future of the event, and equally, to establish what are the needs of the cycling club.

"They have both been, and continue to be, much valued organisations in the city."

Mr Sharp said the preliminary scoping study had already identified four key areas that need to be addressed to establish the showgrounds as "an elite facility and centre of sporting excellence".

"The lighting needs to be upgraded to AFL standard, a new multi-purpose facility is required, the viewing embankment needs to be enlarged, particularly along the river side, and the future of the existing cycling track must be looked at," he said.

"They are all big issues, and we are talking a multi-million dollar project, so it requires a lot of careful planning to get it right.

"Of course the whole project will depend of what funding would be available, and we would be looking at both government and AFL funding support, as well as the council’s contribution."

Mr Sharp said preliminary discussions had already been held with the AFL through Football Victoria, and the outcome was "encouraging".

"As a council we are very keen to make this happen. It has been identified as a major need for Wangaratta going forward and we look forward to seeing it develop," he said.