Robyn Bain, President of the Sapphire Coast Turf Club, has kindly agreed to address BVSC at its meeting tomorrow to represent all equestrian groups locally. Council is proposing to reject the motion by Cr. Russel Fitzpatrick to establish a steering committee to pursue the establishment of an equestrian facility in the Bega Valley. We all need to show our support for this motion if we are to have any chance of accessing the funding on offer from the State Government. Can you please pass on to all you horsey friends and family to meet outside the Bega Valley Council offices tomorrow at 1:50pm to show support for the equestrian centre. Below is an update from Robyn Bain on recent events: To update people on the progress (or non progress) so far Moruya has spoken with their council about the possibility of putting together a business case to Andrew Constance for possible funding through the State Government of an equestrian centre located at Moruya. They met with Andrew Constance and he said if their business case stacked up he might be able to find the funding in the State budget for this project. I had requested that Bega Valley Shire put do the same for us, and then the two business cases could be presented to the State Government and then may the best case win. However, Russell Fitzpatrick, put the motion forward to council to prepare such a case and they deferred their decision. I have no idea if they have any intention of putting this together and suspect they wont. Moruya were to have their case completed and then submitted to Andrew Constance by the end of this month. After lobbying council and getting nowhere, I can only suggest that other horse related entities assist in the lobbying if BVSC is to have an equestrian centre. Below is the report currently on the BDN website: THERE seems little prospect the Bega Valley will get an equestrian centre in the near future. In late July Eurobodalla Shire Council formed a steering committee to pursue the establishment of an equestrian centre following an offer by Treasurer Andrew Constance to provide funding to a council that could develop a sound business proposal. Bega Valley Shire councillor Russell Fitzpatrick, keen to get a committee established, tried to insert a proposal to do so in a recommendation about the Sapphire Coast Turf Club on July 30. After this was rejected he left the proposal as a question on notice to acting general manager Wayne Sartori. In the agenda notes for tomorrow’s council meeting Mr Sartori has rejected the proposal, stating, “it is difficult to instigate without first having a clear equestrian community based initiative”. “I am not aware of any industry, or substantive community based, needs analysis, demand assessment or local aspiration presented to Council for an equestrian facility. That is not to say such a facility would not be welcomed by the industry or that it would not bring social and economic benefits to the Bega Valley, just that there has not been any community based or industry based initiatives for a local equestrian centre. “Without a clear community base or agreed collective view it will be difficult if not premature of council to form a committee. “Such a committee would run the risk of not having the broad based support of the equestrian community “It should be noted there would be significant resources, cost and time needed for investigation and analysis required to formulate a comprehensive, feasible proposal.”
Posted on: Tue, 30 Sep 2014 04:49:14 +0000
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