BY EL FITCHETT
The southern end of Lake Eraring has been selected as the location for a new Sport and Recreation Centre at Myuna Bay.
Acting Minister for Sport Geoff Lee and Lake Macquarie MP Greg Piper announced the decision at a press conference held at the lake end of Payten Street in Eraring this morning.
The original Myuna Bay Sport and Recreation Centre was closed unexpectedly in March 2019 following a safety report from Origin Energy warning the nearby Eraring Power Station ash dam posed a risk to those using the site.
"The former Sport and Rec Centre was in a flow path under some scenarios for liquefied ash to cross over and inundate large parts of the site. But the new site is well and truly remote from any risk from power station activities, certainly the entire village of Eraring is safe from any such risk as well," Greg Piper said.
Roughly a kilometre from the former Myuna Bay Sport and Recreation Centre, the new site is situated on property owned by Origin Energy, with the construction funded by the company.
"Once construction is complete it will transferred to the State," Greg Piper said.
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.
The chosen site will allow a larger facility to be built, and will be the first new sport and recreation center built in New South Wales for 40 years.
"The evaluation of this site has been going on for quite some time. It ticks nearly all the boxes," Greg Piper said.
It's hoped the new facility will draw the Hunter's water sporting community back to the area for kayaking, canoeing, and stand up paddle boarding. Opportunities for water skiing and other activities are also being considered.
"It certainly won't just be what was at the original Sport and Rec Centre. I'm very keen to see water skiing accommodated at the site. We are looking at how that can be done, perhaps using the same waterway skiers used in the past," Greg Piper said.
"There will be community engagement with existing and historic user groups, and perhaps new ones that will come along. But I think this is an exciting opportunity for sport and rec centres in New South Wales," Greg Piper said.
"While Office of Sport is looking at what sports will be included, they will be simultaneously consulting with neighbors in the area to make sure they minimize any impact on them, if there is any impact at all."
"The consultation with the local community has to be genuine."
How many jobs will be guaranteed at the new centre, for those who were employed at the former centre is still unclear.
Staff were ensured they would be given priority re-employment when the new centre is opened.
"There will likely be more details on this when they start seeing the scale of what can do and what they can provide there," Greg Piper said.
Acting Sport Minister Geoff Lee and Lake Macquarie MP Greg Piper address residents and stakeholders December 2019. Image: James Forgacs/2NURFM
