New site unveiled for sport and recreation centre
21st July 2020
Source: Newcastle Herald | By: Max McKinney | Posted: July 21, 2020
The NSW government has unveiled a site for its new sport and recreation centre in Lake Macquarie.
Acting Sports Minister Geoff Lee confirmed on Tuesday the government had opted for a parcel of Origin Energy-owned land on the edge of Lake Eraring.
The future centre, which is being built to replace the Myuna Bay camp that closed last year, offers direct access to lake for water sports.
Minister Lee said the chosen land would allow for the constriction of facilities similar to those that existed at Myuna Bay.
"Certainly we're going to built a fit-for-purpose site," he said.
"Obviously we'll look at what we require in a 21st century sport and rec centre. It's going to be the first one [built] in many decades.
"We'll look at what new facilities we need to have and all those details will be worked out in the DA process."
The minister was joined by Lake Macquarie MP Greg Piper, mayor Kay Fraser and Origin Energy officials at the southern end of Payten Street in Eraring on Tuesday to announce the chosen land.
The press conference was somewhat disrupted by a few locals voicing their opposition to the proposed site, which borders about a dozen residential properties.
The site is one of two parcels of land that the Newcastle Herald revealed the government was considering in December.
Mr Lee and Mr Piper moved to assure residents there would be consultation before and after any plans are lodged with council.
Mr Lee said it was "a bit early" to commit to a timeline for the project, but Mr Piper said concept plans would likely be drafted by the end of this year and the centre, if approved, built in the first half of 2023.
As the minister announced last year when he confirmed the old centre could not be reopened, Eraring power station owner Origin Energy will foot the bill for the new facility.
Mr Piper said it was "not intended" that Myuna Bay Water Ski Club would have a presence at the future centre. He said negotiations to allow the club to use Whiteheads Lagoon adjacent to the old site "were continuing".
He said the old centre would remain in public hands and it was important for that site to be "properly managed and rehabilitated".
"My preference is that the site be added to Lake Macquarie State Recreation Area and managed by National Parks and Wildlife Service," he said.
Lake Macquarie mayor Kay Fraser wants the government to "fast-track the planning and construction of the new facility" but said residents needed to be consulted before that could occur.
The Myuna Bay centre closed in March last year due to risks associated with the stability of the power station's nearby ash dam.
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