Acting Sport Minister Geoff Lee has announced a brand new waterfront sport and recreation centre will be built at Myuna Bay.
The original Myuna Bay Sport and Recreation Centre was closed unexpectedly in March following a safety report from Origin Energy warning the nearby Eraring Power Station ash dam posed a risk to those using the site.
The sudden closure sparked community outcry and prompted a petition for the site to be reopened, as questions surfaced about the legitimacy of Origin's report.
Lake Macquarie MP Greg Piper fought hard to see the matter addressed, tabling the petition in parliament and calling for an apology from Origin over the sudden closure which left staff in the lurch and forced schools and other organisations to cancel events scheduled to go ahead at the facility.
“I stand by the view that this closure was handled appallingly and I believe that the risk posed to the Sport and Recreation Centre by the ash dam wall is so infinitely small that it didn’t warrant the panicked response and immediate closure,” Mr Piper said.
“That said, the action was taken and we need to now move forward with what I believe will provide a good long-term outcome.
“I appreciate that Origin Energy and the Office of Sport have agreed to this deal and I appreciate the State Government’s efforts, particularly from John Sidoti and the Acting Minister for Sport Geoff Lee who drove these negotiations on behalf of myself and the local community."
The announcement of a new centre follows two independent reports undertaken in the wake of the facility's closure, the most recent of which recommends the original facility remain closed.
A deal has been struck between the Office of Sport and Origin Energy which will see construction of the new centre fast tracked at a nearby waterfront site owned by the energy operator.
Origin Energy will pay for the construction of the new facility and will be required to urgently repair its Eraring ash dam wall, which currently poses a risk to Myuna Bay, the lake, and anyone travelling on Wangi Road.
The Office of Sport will be given a 99-year lease on the new site and will retain ownership of the original Myuna Bay Sport and Recreation Centre, which will be rehabilitated and re-vegetated at Origin's cost and protected from future development.
Current staff will be offered redundancy or redeployment to other sport centres across the state and will be given priority re-employment when the new centre is opened.
The local water ski club and Morisset Rotary Club will both be compensated by Origin for losses.
 |
| Acting Sport Minister Geoff Lee and Lake Macquarie MP Greg Piper address residents and stakeholders. Image: James Forgacs/2NURFM |
