ORANGE City Council bought the site in 2015 specifically for the purpose, but it hast taken a consultant’s report to confirm a parcel of land on the Northern Distributor Road as the preferred choice for the multipurpose sporting precinct.
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Geolyse was tasked with assessing which site could best accommodate six rectangular fields suitable for international rugby league, union and soccer events, with the main field including a 1500-seat grandstand with disability access, change rooms, broadcast facilities, lighting for night games and total capacity for 10,000 people.
The consultant also had to investigate future provision of state-level track and field facilities.
The study considered the 44-hectare NDR site near Ophir Road, Sir Jack Brabham Park, a gateway site on the Mitchell Highway between the homemakers centre and Dairy Creek Road, DPI-owned land at south Orange, a site between Bunnings and Charles Sturt University and two other parcels on Huntley Road, south of Bloomfield Road, and the Mitchell Highway heading northwest towards Molong.
In February, councillors Kevin Duffy and Jason Hamling asked the council to put together concept plans for the facility, as well as review possible sites.
The mentality of the meeting was to get out of there. You feel as though it’s a waste of time talking about something.
- Councillor Kevin Duffy
Cr Duffy said he was not satisfied with the way the report was compiled, saying the consultant had not consulted sporting clubs, nor the sub-committee of himself, Cr Hamling and councillor Sam Romano.
“We’re taking a lot out of the CBD but we’ve got to support the centre of town,” he said.
He was surprised Moulder Park had not been assessed, saying it was possible to move the velodrome.
“It’s a bike track – if you want to hold races, you need a proper velodrome,” he said.
Cr Duffy said he did not raise the matter at Tuesday night’s meeting when councillors endorsed the NDR site because it was rushed due to three hefty items prior.
“The mentality of the meeting was to get out of there,” he said.
“You feel as though it’s a waste of time talking about something.”
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