Managing the use of Goodwood Oval is the elephant in the room as we redevelop the grandstand and consider the use of the Hockey Field.

Indeed, it may be fairer to say managing the overuse of Goodwood Oval.

..

Everyone should know how proud I am of the various sporting clubs residing in the west of the City of Unley. This small geographical area boasts some very successful clubs. Leaders in their competitions. The Goodwood Saints Football Club and the Goodwood Roos Cricket Club feature prominently.

Both are community clubs. Both have extensive junior programs. This may be the testimony to their undoubted success. Their programs, particularly their junior programs, fit beautifully into the Active Unley program of Council.

Trouble is they are doing so well that the facility known as Goodwood Oval is suffering from overuse. There is a need therefore for to be better managing the use of Goodwood Oval.

The community and the Council need to encourage the clubs to continue to provide what they are offering. We need however to find ways to help them do this and to allow the rest of the community access to this marvellous facility.

In managing the use of Goodwood Oval, we have two directions I will be promoting.

Council has, under my guiding, endorsed the first of these. That is to investigate redeveloping Ridge Park up at Myrtle Bank for junior sport. This will commence soon.

The second I have started prompting on. That is to explore resurfacing the whole of the Oval. If this is an option, if this potentially creates an oval that can handle the traffic, it needs to be explored.

Now is the time to do this too. With the Grandstand soon to be demolished and a new one built there can be no better time to explore our options here.

At the very least we need to examine the reconstruction of the centre pitch area.

By providing local leadership I am intent on advocating on behalf of the whole Clarence Park ward community for this to occur. Sporting Clubs and residents alike.