A PUBLIC briefing will be held to outline the future of the former Katherine Sports and Recreation Club.
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The NT Government today launched its promised Expressions of Interest from “commercial developers, community organisations and any other entities” interested in redeveloping the site.
The registration period is now open for the redevelopment of the former Katherine Sport and Recreation Club, located on a choice two hectares opposite the Katherine River.
The government said a community briefing would be held on Thursday, May 11 at the Godinymayin Yijard Rivers Arts and Culture Centre at 6pm to outline the process.
An industry briefing would be held on Tuesday, May 16 also at the Godinymayin Yijard Rivers Arts and Culture Centre at 6pm.
Supporters of the former club want the NT government to still consider saving the clubhouse and sporting grounds.
“There are a lot of people in this town who want to see it saved, and who are willing to put their labour, for free, into keeping it,” club stalwart Clinton Booth has said.
The club closed down more than a year ago year after becoming insolvent.
In the launch of its development documents today, the government said: “The site presents an opportunity for development for a range of uses that recognise the history of the site and acknowledges its surroundings; and complements other projects within Katherine that aim to reconnect the township to the river corridor.”
The government documents said the “site is not utilised and the facilities are in considerable disrepair”.
Katherine MLA Sandra Nelson secured $250,000 from the NT government to develop the club as “an all-purpose community centre in Katherine”.
“It would have cost more to fix it than we had and then we found out about the zoning problems,” she said.
“We could use the money for a lease, I am not sure yet but I don’t think it will be that difficult to find something else,” she has said.
Ms Nelson said she believed Katherine was already well supplied with other sporting grounds.
The government will establish a panel “to evaluate EOIs received with a view to shortlisting proponents to participate in a secondary detailed proposal stage”.
Minister for Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics Nicole Manison said inspections had been undertaken to assess the best use of the site ongoing, and a decision to redevelop the site was considered the most beneficial for the community.
“This EOI process represents an exciting opportunity for redevelopment of the site, to create jobs and stimulate the Katherine economy, with a development that provides both short and long term economic benefit,” Ms Manison said.
“Any development would need to provide a benefit to the broader community and address flood issues with the site.
A Darwin-based developer is believed to have already outlined broad plans for the construction of a hotel on the Giles Street site.