MAYORAL MINUTE NO. 13/2014
UNLOCKING THE SHOWGROUND 14 OCTOBER 2014
Councillors,
Over the last few months there has been much debate and discussion about the future of the Castle Hill Showground.
As the Deputy Mayor and I have said on many occasions, we want to lead the way in presenting a future vision for the Showground – one that will benefit and include a much wider cross section of the community that will take advantage of the future North West Rail Link and brings many more visitors to The Hills.
With the North West Rail Link on its doorstep and additional dwellings set to be built nearby, our community needs the Castle Hill Showground to become a modern sporting, cultural and recreational precinct that meets the needs of our Shire for decades to come.
For Council to plan for the future, it makes no sense for restrictive long-term licences to be renewed. These now expired licenses were first secured in an era when there was no internet, no M2 or M7 Motorway and when the community was banned from the using the Showground for fear that the Show's horses might get tetanus.
As a result, Council unanimously agreed that the three existing licence holders be given two options – extend their licence for another year or move straight into a casual hire system. The casual hire system works very well at a range of Council venues across the Sydney Hills.
Two of the licence holders – Norwest Canine Association and the Castle Hill Players – readily agreed to move straight into a casual hire system and I again thank the leadership of these two organisations for their understanding, maturity and level headedness at what is undoubtedly a difficult time. They have recognised our motives are both sound and good. They recognise Council is not trying to run them out of town.
Sadly, I am unable to offer the same platitudes about The Castle Hill & Hills District Agricultural Society.
As a result of twice responding inappropriately before two deadlines unanimously set to them by the elected Council, we have moved the Agricultural Society into a casual hire system. While the Show Society are no longer able to collect revenue from sub-letting Council controlled facilities on the Showground, this in no way means that the Castle Hill Show cannot go on.
Disappointingly, the Show Society, on advice of their key advisors, have attempted to suggest to our local media outlets that the Show might close. Unlike the Norwest Canine Association and the Castle Hill Players, the Agricultural Society fail to embrace this opportunity to harness the change in circumstances.
As I have previously suggested in a Mayoral Minute and in the media, Council will ensure that all the facilities and assets required for the Castle Hill Show are available to ensure that the Agricultural Society can put on the Show in 2015, 2016 and well into the future. Any suggestion that we are stopping the Society from using the Showground is an incorrect one and I would like that suggestion to be corrected.
I am committed to ensuring that Council will create a better, more modern and accessible Showground that can be enjoyed by all into the future and The Castle Hill Show is a part of that future.
That being said, a project that benefits the whole Shire will not be allowed to be held up by the agenda of a few with special interests. This Council wants to deliver a rejuvenated Showground that is ready to meet the demands of Hills residents and visitors in the decades ahead.
The Castle Hill Showground has now been unlocked for greater community use and facility hirers will in the main, be doing so for a lower charge.
We will work with current users while engaging future users to help the Showground reach the enormous potential it has.
Accordingly I move that:
1. I acknowledge that Council staff have contacted The Castle Hill & Hills District Agricultural Society to lock in dates and facilities for the remainder of 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 with the last two (2) years being tentative subject to the implementation of the Master Plan.
2. Council staff continue to promote a survey regarding future uses of the Castle Hill Showground.
3. Council staff be instructed to identify whether any hirer has entered into an agreement with the Show Society post the expiry of the former licence.
Councillor Andrew Jefferies MAYOR
