THE West Australian Football Commission supports concerns regarding the displacement of junior sporting fixtures in Bunbury, including football, for a Horse and Country Music Festival at Hay Park.
Strong concern has been expressed to the WA Football Commission by the South West Junior Football League about the decision of the City of Bunbury to use the junior playing fields for this event.
WAFC Director of Facilities and Planning Geoff Glass said he anticipated that the damage likely to result from the event would be significant and the impact on the suitability of the ground to host junior sport to be far greater than that conveyed in the minutes of the Council meeting.
"Further, the reasons cited by the Councillor submitting the motion for needing the event moved away from an agreed venue onto Hay Park are in no way compelling," Mr Glass said.
"On the one hand we are working with the City of Bunbury to bring AFL football to the City and surrounding region to grow football and junior sport and then on the other the City appears to be working against that objective by reducing the availability and quality of its sporting grounds during the football season.
"I would urge that the City in the first instance give the respect required to listen to the opinions of those most affected."
