BREAKING: Myuna Bay to Receive New Recreation Centre

BY MADELAINE MCNEILL

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

State Government Plan to sell Myuna Bay Sport Centre Surfaces

BY GARY-JON LYSAGHT

A recent report has suggested that the State Government have begun plans to privatise recreational sports centres across the State, including Myuna Bay and Point Wolstoncroft on the shores of Lake Macquarie.

A report in The Newcastle Herald has suggested that up to eight of the 11 recreational sports centres across New South Wales will be up for lease.

Myuna Bay could be up for sale [Image Source: NSW Government].

The report says doing so would provide “the most favourable long-term return to government”.

Lake Macquarie MP Greg Piper has expressed concern over the plans, calling the sell-off of land by the Government is “enormous”.

“The amount of property of the people of NSW that can be lost in one generation, if you like, of government has been quite enormous,” he told 2NUR FM’s Todd Sergeant.

“This is part of the NSW estate that has been built up over a long period of time and there’s so much of it being lost in such a short period of time.”

The privatisation plan is the latest in a string of sell offs by the State Government in an effort to fund major projects like the Newcastle light rail and Sydney’s West Connex.

But Greg Piper says the Government still has a few questions to answer as to why the sale would be a good thing.

Stuart Ayres

“Why would we do it?  I’d image that they will say there might be better value in it for the people,” he said.

“They’ll claim that perhaps the private sector can do it better, I’m not convinced th

at that’s the case.

“I’m sure that people who’ve worked in the system and those thousands of people who have benefited over the years would probably have a different opinion.”

The Government are yet to confirm the plan, with Piper confirming Sport Minister Stuart Ayres’ office have agreed to brief him.