A MONTH ago, Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack was given a quick tour of the new sporting precinct at Mildura South.
“I’ve been to a lot of country sporting stadiums around the nation and I have not seen a better one,” Mr McCormack said after being shown the new AFL-standard oval, changeroom facilities, six-court basketball stadium and social facilities by Mildura Council staff.
I was part of the media pack on that tour that day but, unfortunately, I did not walk away feeling the same as The Nationals leader.
While I’m hesitant to seem critical of a $44 million development, which I still hope will live up to expectations, my first impression of the facility was it was not going to be as great for spectators as I envisaged.
From an indoor perspective, the seating for the “showcourt” resembles a balcony overlooking the court, which is a storey below. It was unlike anything I’d seen before and my gut feel was that it would lack atmosphere.
I should point out that at that stage of the development, there remained no courtside seating, so hopefully I am proven completely wrong.
There are strong rumours that our premier basketball club, the Mildura Heat, will not go out to the new Sixteenth Street facility unless better permanent seating for viewing is established. How that could be achieved now that it has been built is anyone’s guess.
It’s understood the Mildura Basketball Association intends to still make the move, but the key sticking point remains the show court itself.
After that initial tour, I was speaking to a leading person at the council and relayed concerns that Mildura Heat would not be moving there.
The council person told me at the time I was incorrect and that actually the Heat “couldn’t wait to get there”. My response was: “Are you sure about that?”
Some local sporting clubs or organisations, who have not wanted to go on the record given they are in delicate tenancy negotiations with the council, have been telling me and Sunraysia Daily reporters their concerns about aspects of the design for months. They claimed their views were “basically dismissed” by the Melbourne-based architect during the process.
When you get an architect to design your house, do you get them to design it the way you want, or the way they want? Because the risk of building the way they want is that you mightn’t want to live there.
Another point of concern has been the disconnect between the football social rooms and the actual ground.
The glass viewing area of the sporting oval is a long way from the ground and sits behind fixed glass panelling. No close- up action, no sounds of the game, which are key to watching live sport.
The oval has no undercover seating, such as a small grandstand, doesn’t yet have a scoreboard (that will only be built if a commercial agreement can be struck), lacks an elevated bank where fans can stand and watch and doesn’t have a permanent bar. We understand tenants South Mildura Sporting Club will need to bring a portable bar, such as a caravan into the ground on match days. These are the nuts and bolts of a country footy ground, but they haven’t been included in the $44 million development. Why?
Mr McCormack’s comments that the precinct was the best he had seen in country Australia have naturally drawn comparisons to venues such as the basketball stadium in Bendigo, or the North Ballarat footy oval.
Even my former club, Geelong West, has just opened a new $11 million facility, which includes new changerooms, an indoor facility, plus upstairs social rooms behind glass doors that open to a balcony directly looking over the ground.
While the facility does not have six basketball courts, office space and outdoor netball courts, it looks magnificent and is amazing for spectators, whether it be football, cricket or cycling, and has proven a huge hit with the club, its members and the Geelong West community.
The design is a simple concept and to the naked eye it just makes sense.
My personal views of the new Mildura facility are subjective, of course, and others may absolutely love the design.
Also, I am passing judgment before I have seen the facility completed and in action.
I’m loath to talk down a facility that was much needed and will be fantastic for the community.
But if the Mildura Heat give it the cold shoulder, questions need to be asked about whether it’s the bang you’d expect for 40-plus million bucks.
