Leichhardt Mayor Calls On Governments To "listen To What Fans Want" – We Couldn’t Agree More
MEDIA RELEASE: 10 December 2012
The Mayor of Leichhardt, Darcy Byrne, should practise what he preaches and listen to the more than 4,700 Balmain Tigers fans who have asked the NSW Department of Planning to return their club to Rozelle, interim CEO Danny Munk said today.
The Mayor of Leichhardt is quoted in today’s Daily Telegraph criticizing the NSW Government’s stadium strategy, which could adversely affect Leichhardt Oval.
Cr Byrne said: “The Government, NRL and Wests Tigers need to listen to what the fans want and ensure that this famous ground is not abandoned” (emphasis added).
Mr Munk said the mayor should listen to the 4,748 members who made submissions of support for the redevelopment of the Balmain Tigers club site in Rozelle, hand-delivered today to the NSW Department of Planning & Infrastructure by club legend, Paul Sironen.
“We agree with Councillor Byrne that governments should listen to what voters want,” Mr Munk said.
“So we respectfully ask the Mayor to listen to the thousands of Balmain members, many of whom are locals, who understand the only way their club can survive is if the Rozelle Village development on Victoria Road gets the go ahead.
“Cr Byrne should throw his support behind the Tigers’ campaign to return to Rozelle.”
Mr Munk said the club appreciated local residents’ concerns but asked them to consider the many benefits of the Rozelle Village development, of which the Tigers would be a tenant.
“The supporters of Balmain, club members, and local residents are entitled to have a leagues club to use for social activities and recreation; they are entitled to have access to a range of retail outlets, childcare facilities and a major supermarket that will deliver greater choice to the inner-west,” he said.
“We were forced to leave the site to make way for the planned North West Metro rail link, which was subsequently cancelled.”
In 2008, the Tigers commenced a relationship with Reed Construction on the Rozelle development, which was to be funded by Lehman Brothers. Prior to the final sign off, the Global Financial Crisis hit.
“We had run out of options but at the last moment Rozelle Village offered us a lifeline,” Mr Munk said.