The Mayor of Clarence says he is confident an upcoming elector poll on the proposed Rosny AFL High Performance Centre will come back “overwhelmingly in support” of the project.
Brendan Blomeley told SEN the poll, which must be conducted by August 14th, will “sadly” cost Clarence ratepayers $200,000.
“We’re seeing a 0.3% increase on all our rates as a result,” he said.
“It just baffles me. It is so bizarre that every time we want to take a step forward in the City of Clarence, there are those that’ll knock and just work assiduously against it. It is so disappointing.”
The $70 million state government facility has faced opposition from some in the community, with the ‘Save Rosny Parks’ group petitioning for the non-binding poll to have their say.
“We must stop the parks being destroyed,” spokesman Terry Polglase said.
“The Rosny Parklands are not geologically suited to large football fields and building infrastructure that require level surfaces.”
“The only outcome from the blasting and earthworks required to make the parks fit for purpose will be to destroy the inner-urban parkscape and open spaces unique to the area.”
The groups comments have been contested by Mayor Blomeley, who said the December data being referred to about locating the entire facility on the former golf course was ‘just an estimate’ made by council staff.
“The geotechnical work hadn’t occurred at that time, that’s just been finalised. We’re expecting the report back very soon,” he said.
“The final decision as to the site selection will be made by the state government in consultation with the AFL.”
“We’ve provided a number of options for them … The only available site is at Rosny.”
“So these people talking about alternate sites, there are none in Clarence.”
The AFL remain open to the possibility of relocating the entire facility to Kingston, should the Rosny site be ruled out.
