The Mayor of Kingborough has opened up about feeling “bitterly disappointed” after learning that her region’s bid for an AFL high-performance centre was “pipped at the post” by Clarence.
Paula Wriedt believes her council’s proposal was “stronger” and remains hopeful that the facility could still be built in Kingston.
“We went through and did an analysis of the criteria that the state government had provided and we believed that on all bar one of those criteria, that we were able to exceed what was being put forward by Clarence,” she told SEN with Brent Costelloe.
“I had very high hopes because I believe that the proposal that we put forward was exceptionally strong.”
Wriedt has always considered Kingborough the “only possible option” for the high-performance centre, citing the two existing “exceedingly high-level” football ovals at Twin Ovals and the AFL’s proposed timeframes.
“To build ovals from scratch and have them ready to a standard that the AFL would be acceptable to them, I think would be very challenging on totally different terrain,” she said.
“We accept that the decision at the time went with Clarence … we’re disappointed, but I do wish them well.”
Despite this setback, Wriedt said Kingborough is “ready, willing and able” to host the facility if the Rosny proposal falls through due to geotechnical advice or the current elector poll being undertaken among locals.
“Now that we have the JackJumpers there, the synergies between having two high performance centres in close proximity are really powerful and could really assist the clubs themselves,” she said.
Wriedt highlighted unanimous support for the facility among her councillors and believes the community’s opposition to the Rosny proposal is evidence that Kingborough would be more warmly welcomed.
“I wouldn’t be so bold as to assume that every person in the community would support it, you should never make that assumption,” she said.
“But I believe that it’s a totally different scenario to what is being presented in Rosny.”
Wriedt expects to learn if Kingborough will be chosen as the location within the next couple of weeks.
