Four motions rallying against the size of the proposed $5 million development of a new Westbury recreation centre were tabled at a public meeting last week.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The meeting attracted about 200 people to the Westbury Town Hall after a petition signed by almost 500 people, asking for a public meeting regarding the centre, was submitted to the Meander Valley Council in November.
Fitzpatrick’s Inn owner Pam Swaim forwarded the first motion at the public meeting, asking for the council to reconsider its development.
Ms Swaim singled out the proposed function centre as a part of the plan that drew the ire of people at the meeting.
“I think the whole community, including myself, is all for new facilities for the cricket and football club as an urgent need,” she said.
“The current proposal has gone way over the top economically and for [the centre users’] needs.
“It’s ridiculous spending that amount of money when it didn’t satisfy the needs of two users.”
Meander Valley mayor Craig Perkins said the council would take the motions asking to reconsider the project into a private workshop.
He expects the development will go to vote once again, after the council voted to approve the centre on a five-to-four vote in September.
Cr Perkins said the “overwhelming” view at the meeting was that a more modest proposal should replace the $5 million development.
The current recreation centre has two users – The Meander Valley Suns Football Club and the Westbury Shamrocks Cricket Club.
“I indicated to the community that we’re not bound from the decisions [at the meeting], but we need to respect their view,” he said.
“The community recognised that the current [Westbury recreation] facility isn’t satisfactory and the council has clearly recognised that.
“The common theme is to fix what’s there for the football club and cricket club, because what’s there is disgusting and not fit for purpose.
Cr Perkins applauded the respectful manner in which the meeting was conducted.
“[The meeting] was community engagement at its best,” he said.