Council rethinks its approach to City Oval project
Published on 17 June 2025
Council has decided it will rethink its approach to the City Oval project to ensure broader community benefit. At an advertised unscheduled Council meeting last night council confidentially considered the City Oval Pavilion Funding Agreement.
Mayor Cr Ian Ross said there was strong healthy debate regarding the positive outcomes and the challenges associated with this project and whether Council should enter into this funding agreement with the Australian Government through the Growing Regions fund.
“Council appreciates the offer of the funds for this project, but after significant consideration has determined that the rationale for the project explored in the business case no longer aligns with Council strategic priorities,” Mayor Ross said.
“Changes of current economic circumstances within the community, including the current drought situation, cost of living pressures and the risk of increased costs associated with the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund, means Council has to think very carefully about how we allocate our funds.”
“On that basis Council is requiring a report to be presented at a future Council meeting that considers a range of options for redirection of Council’s budget allocation which will return a benefit to a wider range of community users.”
Not all Councillors voted against signing the funding agreement. Cr Todd Wilson and Cr Dean O’Loughlin moved and seconded a motion in favour of the City Oval project proceeding to the next stage.
“While I personally couldn’t support the project, I thought that for the benefit of our community we needed to sign the funding agreement to give us time to get further information, knowing we had the option of exiting the funding agreement at a later date if that information didn’t stack up,” Cr Wilson explained.
Cr Dean O’Loughlin said he also voted in favour of this project, “I think it would have enhanced accessibility and inclusiveness for community members with impairments and barriers to participating in social and recreational activities. I also believed this project would have enhanced facilities for women in sport within our township and region.”
Both Councillors agreed they respected the resolution of the Council and would support the decision that had been made.
“This is democracy at work, we don’t have to agree on every decision but we each have the opportunity to debate our point of view and afterwards we support the decision that has been made. That is the great thing about this current Council,” Mayor Ross said.