Much work done to reserve

IT was very disappointing to read the Editorial in the Guardian Express, which claimed that council is in danger of breaking its promise on Britannia Reserve.

The Editorial suggested that very little has changed at Britannia Reserve for the past 30 plus years, but that simply is not true and I am sure that many members of our community would agree.

The City of Vincent is investing heavily in the Reserve with an extensive path network built around the entire park, and new lighting and landscaping on the way.

These works have been incredibly popular with the local community - every day seniors, children and dog owners can be seen strolling along the path and letting us know they love it.

In relation to Litis Stadium, Floreat Athena enjoys exclusive use and control of this facility under its lease, for $2870 per year. Over the past four years, the City has spent more than $70,000 on maintenance and upkeep of the facility, which is well beyond the annual lease fee paid to the City.

The City has a long history of supporting local clubs and community groups and providing facilities for them to use. But it's only fair and reasonable for any club who enjoys exclusive use of a City facility to make a contribution towards upgrading and expanding those facilities. This is commonplace with many clubs and groups operating in Vincent.

Last year, the City encouraged the club to apply for State Government funding for the change rooms and even offered to assist with writing the grant application.

It set aside funds in the 2014/15 budget, but this was contingent on grant funding also being obtained and the funding was removed from the budget because no application had been made.

The City is willing to work with Floreat Athena to explore options and solutions, but it has a responsibility to ensure that any decisions about future investment in Litis Stadium are made in an open and transparent manner and in the context of the broader needs of our community.

JOHN CAREY, Mayor of Vincent.