Kick it to Kingston?

It pains many Clarence residents that the AFL, the Department of State Growth, and the Clarence City Council can’t shift their sights from the Rosny Parklands to build their so-called High Performance Centre.

Should the AFL, one of the wealthiest sports in the country, be asking for public parkland and public open spaces?

There are many pieces of land in Clarence that are the right distance from the city close to amenities. Anywhere in Clarence is close to services in comparison to mainland HPC sites and their travel distances.

If the Hobart City Council had the fortitude to tell the AFL to purchase land for its facility instead of using public parkland (Cornelian Bay and the Domain), what is stopping Clarence City councillors from doing the same?

It doesn’t matter that Clarence City Council doesn’t own other suitably sized pieces of land. Council could have worked with other landowners and State Growth to purchase suitable land or help the AFL to.

Do the AFL enjoy watching a community divide over a site selection which simply doesn’t make sense?

If Clarence City Council loses the AFL High Performance Centre to Kingborough Twin Ovals they will blame the naysayers, the NIMBYs, the anti-development mob, the retirees, the Greens.

But what they won’t do is reflect and ask, did we do everything to enable this opportunity?

The Tasmanian Premier wrote to Jeff Kennett in July 2022 about the progress that was made on scoping and planning for a high performance and administration facility for the new club.

The AFL and State Government had a list of preferred sites which they failed to disclose to the Tasmanian public. With so many options, why did they feel the need to cherry pick beautiful green spaces?

The Rosny Parklands and Charles Hand Park are natural habitat to birds and animals and are much-loved parks. The community will gain long-term benefits from the new spaces and activities planned in the City Heart Project. Benefits that will far outreach and outlast a training facility.

After reading the AFL High Performance Centre Site Selection Criteria Comparison, you’ll agree, it’s time to kick it to Kingston.

– Christine Bayley, Clarence