The second stage of Glen Willow – and the consolidation of local sports at the location – has created the opportunity to build a “health precinct” around the new Mudgee Hospital, according to mayor Des Kennedy.
Construction of Glen Willow Stage 2 commenced last year and among the sports set to make the move is Mudgee Junior Rugby League, and work on their new clubhouse is underway.
The project will expand the complex with the addition of two junior rugby league playing fields, two rugby union fields, two multi-purpose fields, a junior rugby league amenities building, rugby union amenities building, turf and synthetic cricket wicket as well as infrastructure including car parking facilities, roads, lighting and fencing.
At Thursday’s announcement of a $10 million funding injection for completion of the Stage 2 project, mayor of the Mid-Western Region Des Kennedy said that the Junior Rugby League shift from Lewis Street will open up new possibilities.
“There’s an underlying thing that we stumbled on when this was all being bandied around. Where the Junior League is now is a large piece of land right next to the Hospital, which is actually Crown Land,” he said.
“We’re in the process now of getting that transferred to be used for the health precinct. Probably, nothing will happen there for five-10 years or maybe longer.
“But with the new hospital, which is another State Government initiative that’s two-thirds of the way to being finished, we’ll have a big portion of land where the junior rugby league has been played for the last 50-odd years when they move out here.
“We’ll have four-five acres of land that can be a health precinct, maybe for a private hospital, physio, old aged facility, or whatever else.
“That into the future will be a win-win situation, out of moving the sport out to here we’ll have a big win next to the hospital with extra land.”
At their October meeting, Council voted to support the construction of an indoor swimming pool in Mudgee but also sought a further report to investigate the possibility of developing the proposed facility at a different location.
The report by the Director Community on the Indoor Pool Feasibility Study, received at the time, suggested Cahill Park as a possible option once the new Stage 2 facilities at Glen Willow are finished and provide the new junior rugby league and cricket fields.
Source: Mudgee Guardian, 21 February 2020
