Mudgee sports clubs have hit back at the “negative attitude” from some residents towards Mid-Western Regional Council’s investment into the Glen Willow Regional Sports Complex.
Mudgee Sports Council’s and Wolves’ president Peter Mitchell, Mudgee Rugby’s boss Greg Bartrim and their Dragons counterpart Roger Lang have supported council’s decision to make Mudgee the sport capital of the central west.
Council has spent millions building a state-of-the-art 1000-seat stadium, netball courts, two amenities buildings, two fields, car parking areas, a roundabout and repairing damage from the December 2010 floods.
In the council’s Community News on Friday, October 14, Mayor Des Kennedy said the council was “spending $14 million to create a fantastic regional sporting complex at Glen Willow.”
Council’s group operations manager Brad Cam said the total figure for the Glen Willow complex was $11.6 million not including the roundabout and flood repair costs.
He said $5.2 million had been donated from outside resources including the state and federal governments.
Mr Mitchell, Mr Bartrim and Mr Lang said it had been money well spent despite some members in the community thinking otherwise.
Mr Mitchell said some of the negative comments about Glen Willow had him perplexed.
“The negative attitude by some members has come straight out of left field,” Mr Mitchell said.
“It’s an investment in the community.
“We are aware Glen Willow stalled some projects but they are being financed now.”
Mr Bartrim said there were add-on benefits for the community when big sporting events are held at Glen Willow.
“It’s an investment in sport, in the community, in healthy living,” Mr Bartrim said.
“The vast majority of the community will benefit from the events [at Glen Willow].”
“The rugby union junior country championships and City-Country match, money can’t buy that sort of advertising for Mudgee.
“The money coming in will be outside money. It will increase the revenue of the township.”
Mr Mitchell says approximately 5000 people will use Glen Willow in the winter months for playing, training and spectating every week.
He said council had worked hard at attracting big events to the complex.
“We don’t care what it is, we will support it,” Mr Mitchell said.
This is a claim Mr Bartrim backs up.
“The community needs to support it. Council won’t make it a white elephant,” Mr Bartrim said.
Dragons’ president Mr Lang wanted to thank the councillors.
“The councillors need to be congratulated especially councillors Des Kennedy and Elwyn Lang,” Mr Lang said.
“It’s great for sport in general. Netball, touch, soccer, rugby league, cricket, all those sports, it’s a great complex for them.
“It adds value to the town.”
The Glen Willow Sports Complex will officially be opened on Friday, February 24, from 4-7pm.
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