TAREE Wildcats Football Club secretary Michael Wallace warns his club and the code in Taree risk being left behind if Omaru Park isn't included as a priority in MidCoast Council's plan for infrastructure improvements.
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Mr Wallace said Omaru Park - the headquarters for the club's junior and senior sides - is not listed as a priority in council's draft open space and recreation strategy for 2023-35.
"This plan sets out what council would like to achieve in the recreation space,'' Mr Wallace said in an e-mail to club members.
"If adopted as presented our club will be left behind.
"The Wildcats are the biggest sporting club in the Manning Valley and deserve to be included in the plan for infrastructure improvements. If we are not in the plan, we have little hope of further support.''
Mr Wallace pointed out that Omaru Park is virtually used 12 months are year by the club for the summer and winter programs. This is for men's and women's junior and senior football.
He added that the complex is also used by community groups and individuals for exercise. Omaru Park isn't fenced off. The club mows the fields and maintains the area.
Mr Wallace said he has secured some funding for badly needed improvements and extra lighting at Omaru. However, he said drainage is a problem and work needs to be done on the car park.
"How many times do you think we pushed people out of bog holes in the car park last year after all the rain we had?'' he said.
"But if we're not even on council's plan, how are we going to be considered for future funding?''
Mr Wallace said the club would be sending a submission to council regarding the matter.
"We will be raising our concerns,'' he said.
Council response
"THE draft Open Space and Recreation Strategy is currently on public exhibition and it will be great to get as much feedback as possible from the community during this exhibition phase,'' council's director of liveable communities, Paul De Szell said.
"This will ensure we adequately capture the community's future priorities for what they would like achieved across their open space and recreation facilities. This applies particularly to the Taree Wildcats given their large player and supporter base.''
Mr De Szell assured the lack of specific reference to Omaru Park in the action plan is not a reflection of the Taree Wildcats being left out.
"Rather, the actions referenced in the draft strategy have been drawn directly from the specific feedback we received through a range of engagement channels used to consult with the community last year.
"The Wildcats were invited to participate as part of this engagement. We had a great response throughout the five month engagement program and the other specific Taree priorities referenced in the action plan have come directly from community feedback on these specific facilities.
"We do want to ensure that we have captured everything we have heard and if there is anything we have missed, or any new feedback that the community would like to provide, the public exhibition period is a good check point for them to do this.''
