Complex project to be assessed

TODAY may decide the fate of the proposed Byron Regional Sports and Culture Complex with an extraordinary meeting being held at 10am in Byron Shire Council Chambers, Mullumbimby, to assess the project.

Despite revisions to the original plan and costings of the complex, the price has been found to still exceed the income of the project.

According to the business papers for the meeting, despite revisions of costings for the project, a final amount of $16m still exceeds the council’s budget. An amount of $8m has been approved by the Federal Government’s Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program – Strategic Projects agreement and a further $1.5m is still to come through the Federal Better Regions Program.

That leaves the council with a $6.5m shortfall.

“(Mayor) Jan Barham was outstanding in convincing the other councillors that this project shouldn’t die,” Paul Irwin, Sports Association convener for the Byron Community, said.

“Hopefully council will find cost savings and endorse the recommendation that we proceed with the project.

“Some items could be put on the back burner for later.

“We’ve waited 25 years for this. We just want the facility, and if we lose the $9.5m from the Government it will not happen.”

Mr Irwin said the community had been talking of nothing else.

“I’ve been bombarded with emails and it has got quite emotional,” he said.

“The community at large is behind this project.”