MOYNE Shire is walking away from plans to build an all-access toilet for the Macarthur bowls and tennis clubs after the two sporting groups failed to come to an agreement.
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Councillors voted to abandon the project after four years and four different designs.
The Macarthur Bowls Club and Macarthur Tennis Club share a single divided building which has no toilet facilities in it.
The bowls club uses a toilet block near the greens, while the tennis club uses a toilet block on the nearby road reserve.
The shire had set aside $60,000 for the facility, rolling the amount from one budget to the next since 2014/15.
A further $20,000 was to be contributed by the two clubs, in line with Moyne Shire’s typical requirement for community capital works projects.
However the council voted to walk away from the project “until the Macarthur Bowls Club and Macarthur Tennis Club can come to a shared agreement”.
In a report to council it stated, “both clubs outline a need for individual facilities in a building that struggles to deliver this”.
“The result is an ongoing waste of resource for council,” the report stated.
“Discussion with both the Macarthur bowls and tennis clubs has stalled due to an inability to resolve an agreed position on the development of a standalone disability toilet. Neither Macarthur Bowls Club nor the Macarthur Tennis Club can agree how they can work co-operatively to fully share the building they occupy."
Since discussions with the two clubs began in May 2013, four different designs were put forward by Moyne Shire, with each one being rejected by one or both clubs.
The report to council also stated “neither club is prepared to contribute” the required 25 per cent of the cost.
Cr Mick Wolfe said it was a reasonable decision to abandon the project for now as it freed up resources and money in the budget.
“There have been numerous attempts by staff to sort this business out and provide a better facility,” Cr Wolfe said.
“Unfortunately they’ve run into a brick wall. These funds can be used for other projects that are shovel ready. If (the two clubs) can sort themselves out, they can come back to us and resurrect the project but at this stage we’re getting nowhere, so let’s move on.”
Cr Ian Smith said the plans that had been drawn up “were excellent but unless we draw a line in the sand and get the two clubs to agree, then we’re just wasting our time”.
Cr Jordan Lockett said it was a shame, but the council looked forward to working with the clubs in the future.
