Mackay Port Authority Allan Young to head consultative group Article first published on Wednesday, 25 August 2004 @ 11:28:38 AM

Allan Young has been elected chairman of the Mackay Port Authority’s Sports Field Relocation Consultative Committee.

Mr Young – executive officer of the Mackay Whitsunday Regional Economic Development Corporation – was elected to chair the group at the inaugural meeting of the committee held at Mackay Airport yesterday.

The committee comprises: Mauro Giannangelo and Ray Geraghty (soccer); Val McCubben and Greg Clutton (hockey); Member for Mackay, Tim Mulherin; Cr James Bidgood and Cr Kevin Casey (Division Nine Mackay City Council); Col Meng (Mackay Stadium Committee); Lindsay Saunders (Editor, The Daily Mercury); Greg Cannon and Stephen Dendle (Department of Sports and Recreation);  Michael Fowke (Department of Natural Resources); and MPA chairman, John Taylor, chief executive officer Greg Mann, Airport general manager Trevor Heard and communications manager Colin Wilson.

Mackay Port Authority (MPA) chairman John Taylor said the committee comprised a solid cross-section of people representing soccer, hockey, the business community, local government and government agencies.

Last month, the MPA released a discussion document seeking community feedback on plans to relocate soccer and hockey at Barbour Park, to a new, safer home at the southern end of Milton Street.

Mr Taylor said public safety issues were driving the move.

“The sports fields are on the approach path to the main runway,” he said. “We are seeking to replace the fields with a public safety zone as part of our ‘duty of care’ to the community.”

Mr Taylor said the proposed move from Barbour Park had attracted strong support from the hockey and soccer communities.

“We still have a long way to go – and must work through a number of issues including the layout of the sports complex, funding and infrastructure requirements,” he said.

“It’s important the community drives this agenda and the formation of the consultative committee is an important step in this whole relocation process.”