VC Mitchell Park redevelopment: Controversial project to go before Donnybrook-Balingup Shire Council

A highly controversial debate over a multi-million-dollar sporting precinct in Donnybrook will go before a new council for the first time on Wednesday night. The redevelopment of VC Mitchell Park — the home of the Donnybrook Football Club — which would transform it into a state-of-the-art sporting and events venue, has been the subject of furious debate, after project costs blew out. Councillors will be asked to endorse a contribution of $3.5 million to the project — $3m of which will come from a WA Treasury Corporation loan — and to continue to seek additional funding from other sources and release a public tender for the project. Originally designed to upgrade football, netball, tennis, hockey and basketball facilities in the town, VC Mitchell Park is now centred on the football club. The plans were also at the centre of a bizarre special electors’ meeting at Donnybrook’s Town Hall last September, which descended into chaos after a disgruntled resident — one of about 50 to storm out of the meeting — turned the power off. The Shire of Donnybrook-Balingup has also released an options analysis for the precinct, produced by independent consultant Anna Dixon, which revealed “major concerns” from some sporting groups and that “only a limited number of sporting clubs were on board with a semi-commercial operation of the facility”. “Case studies in this analysis reveal the importance of committed involvement from key user groups in order to be a viable commercial enterprise,” the report stated. “A governing committee will be hard to establish without this commitment.” Under the model recommended in the report, the Shire would manage leases and bookings for the facilities at the site, while responsibility for the main function space would be taken by the football club. The report suggests a “disinclination” of clubs at the facility to be involved in its governance. Shire president Leanne Wringe said the report gave council “positive guidance”, but admitted getting the groups together had been difficult. “Unfortunately, with so many stakeholders in this multi-user precinct project, getting consensus across all groups on exactly what should be built is a tall order,” she said. “At the end of the day, we’re moving towards building an excellent, long-overdue facility that our athletes, spectators and wider community can enjoy for years to come.” Late last year, Donnybrook-Balingup Residents and Ratepayers Association president Brad Fowler said the group wanted to know if the State Government’s contribution to the project would be dependent on the Shire’s contribution, and hoped the council could shed more light on the arrangement. “We need to find out the answers before we proceed,” he said.