Ararat - Ararat Rural City Council will commence an asset review process for the Ararat Eagles Football/Netball Clubrooms in preparation for the building becoming surplus to requirements once the Alexandra Oval community and recreation centre development is completed later this year.
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Council officers reported to council that it would be important for the future shared use of the Alexandra Oval facilities that the clubrooms are removed, and separate ownership of the facilities was discouraged.
The building that has been the Eagles' clubrooms is a transportable building that has been onsite at Alexandra Oval since 2007. The building is plumbed with male, female and accessible toilet facilities and has one main function room with kitchen and bar facilities. The building would be suitable or easily converted to a number of uses.
Officers put forward a number of options for future use of the building:
Disposal: The building as a transportable building would have a number of reuse possibilities and therefore have a re-sale value. Estimates of the possible value for disposal would be in the order of $30,000-$40,000 from comparable buildings (such as granny flats) on the market. Council is required to dispose of assets through its asset review policy.
Relocation to Gordon Street Oval: Gordon Street oval is the second or 'B' oval in Ararat with access to recycled water and lighting.
The current change rooms and toilets are substandard. The addition of the Eagles clubroom building would provide a needed upgrade of facilities. An estimate of transport and relocation costs would be in the order of $15,000. There would also be connection costs to sewer and power that would be in the order of $5,000-$10,000 and site preparation costs in the order of $15,000.
Relocation to Green Hill Lake: Green Hill Lake lacks a caretaker's residence and kiosk. A relocated building may be the most cost effective method of providing further facilities at this well used recreation reserve. An estimate of the relocation cost would be $15,000-$20,000. Refitting for a more specialised use of housing including providing power and sewerage would be in the order of $25,000-40,000. This would be a relatively expensive option.
Relocation to serve as a Men's Shed: The current Men's Shed is small and the clubrooms would provide additional space and facilities. An appropriate position would need to be found for the placement of the building. If this was central to Ararat then relocation costs and power and sewerage connection would be similar to the Gordon Street option.
Use as a Hall of Fame: Ararat Football Club has suggested a use for the clubrooms could be as a 'Hall of Fame' celebrating Ararat sporting people of all kinds and sports. The suggestion is that the clubrooms would remain onsite. Both Ararat Eagles and Grampians Cricket Association have contributed both financially and in kind labour to the facility since 2007. The proper working of the $3.3 million new facility may be jeopardised by the retention of the Hall of Fame that may become de facto clubrooms.
Asset review: When an asset is marked as being possibly surplus to Council's requirements a detailed Asset Review is undertaken. This review examines the current use, the service and service level it may provide, potential for other uses and possible return to Council. A major part of the review is a community consultation process to determine the communities' views on the asset and its retention.