PM : The cheque?s in the mail

The Prime Minister?s office will shortly send a cheque for $2,455,000 to Kogarah Council for the next stage of the upgrade to OKI Jubilee Stadium. Kogarah Council has received advice that the funds will be available within the next few weeks, with the remainder of the $8 million grant being paid over the next two years.

The news coincides with Kogarah Council?s announcement that they will work with the St.George Illawarra Dragons to establish a master plan for the future development of the site. In order to develop a master plan, Kogarah Council has established a steering committee comprising 4 members from Council and 3 members from the St.George Leagues Club. The Kogarah Council representatives are Mayor Michael Platt, Deputy Mayor Nickolas Varvaris, Councillor Adam Mazaferro and General Manager Gary Sawyer.

A Development Application is set to be lodged in order to upgrade the ground including permanent lighting, drainage and 2,200 additional seats. In addition, the Dragons have expressed an interest in erecting a demountable gymnasium, as well as generally improving the training and preparation facilities outside of Jubilee.

Mayor Platt confirmed:

?The St.George Illawarra Dragons have also expressed an interest in using the area outside Jubilee Oval facing the Princes Highway as a training area. The Dragons are prepared to upgrade the surface and wish to place a demountable building on the site to house a gymnasium for the interim period until the master plan has been approved by Council and construction work completed.?

At Monday?s Council meeting, the Dragons were granted a temporary licence to use the area between the Princes Highway and OKI Jubilee Stadium for a 12-month period.

The cost of the lights, seating, drainage improvements, training and preparation improvements and the demountable gymnasium will cost approximately $2 million. The remaining $6 million will be used to establish a state of the art multi-purpose facility that will be used by the Dragons and the general community.

Importantly, Mayor Platt stated:

?The St.George community have shown great support for the Dragons since their return. The consolidation of playing and training facilities at Kogarah Park will entrench the Dragons in Kogarah.?

R2K would like to congratulate Kogarah Council on their initiative to form a steering committee for the future development of OKI Jubilee Stadium. The $8 million grant is further vindication for the supporters who doggedly campaigned for a return to Kogarah.

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