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Rugby
League News:
DRAGONS TO LOOK AT
KOGARAH FOR 2003
MAINTENANCE ISSUES PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY
03 May, 2002 Article
by R2K at http://www.r2k.info
The long awaited Structural
Engineer’s report on the Jubilee Oval grandstand
has been presented to Kogarah Council. While Kogarah
Council have stated that the report is confidential,
the St. George Leader has discovered that there
are issues that need to be addressed to maintain the
grandstand in working order.
The report has confirmed
that the Jubilee grandstand has no 'major structural'
problems but some faults which need to be addressed.
The St. George Leader
states:
"Some of them
are technical and arise from changes to the Building
Code of Australia since the grandstand was built in
1989. For example, balustrading on the grandstand
is horizontal but the code now stipulates it should
be vertical. And emergency lighting needs upgrading.
As well, the grandstand’s roof will need replacing
in another five years."
The report by Woolacotts
Consulting Engineers will allow the council and club
to work through the maintenance issues. However, as
the June 2001 report on the grandstand confirmed,
under the Deed of Licence between the St. George Leagues
Club and Kogarah Council, it is the Club’s responsibility
to carry out all repairs and maintenance associated
with the Oval, which includes all buildings and facilities.
If the club wishes to
take a proactive stance, the maintenance issues provide
the club with a window of opportunity. The club can
concentrate on the repairs required and also make
the sort of smaller, boutique and temporary changes
to corporate facilities. It would be more cost effective
for the club to make the improvements to corporate
facilities while making the repairs to the grandstand,
rather than making the desired changes to corporate
facilities at a later date. This would involve the
club using the licence until its expiration in 2011
and then making plans for additional redevelopment
and a new licence.
The Sydney Morning
Herald recently reported that the Dragons are
hopeful of
playing two matches at Kogarah in 2003. While R2K
supports 50% of Dragons’ home games at Kogarah,
the commitment to at least two games at Kogarah each
season as well as training would result in club expenditure
commensurate with the use levels.
On the other hand, while
making the necessary repairs, the club can negotiate
a new licence beyond 2011 with Kogarah Council and
ensure that any proposed redevelopments are included
and planned for. Clearly, the ball is in the Club’s
court.
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