THE Alexandra Park athletics venue could be re-named in honour of the late Les O’Brien.
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Albury United Soccer Club submitted a proposal to Albury Council on Monday for the change of name to the city’s athletics track where Mr O’Brien spent decades nurturing young talent.
The move also has the backing of one of Albury’s leading athletics coaches, Marcus Arnold, but has to be approved by council as the owner of the venue.
Albury United president Marty Chambers said it would be suitable recognition.
“It would be a fitting move especially for a man who has dedicated so much to sport on the border, but in particular athletics which was his main passion,” he said.
“He then went into O and M (football) and then into soccer and thankfully that was with us.
“His death has touched so many people.
“Alexandra Park just makes sense on so many levels because it is mainly juniors who come out of there.
“His passion was watching junior succeed and growing up to be young adults.”
Alexandra Park has been in existence since before the railway through Albury was created in the 1880s and was named after British royalty.
Albury mayor Kevin Mack said council had received a formal letter requesting Alexandra Park be re-named the Les O’Brien Athletic Complex on Monday and it would consider the move.
“Albury Council would like to pay tribute to Mr O’Brien, a man who dedicated a lifetime to improving the city’s sporting and community fabric,” he said.
“Our thoughts are with his family and friends.”
Mr Arnold support the name-change for Alexandra Park in honour of a man who created Stawell Easter carnival history in 1962 when he won the 440 yards and 220 yards finals.
“It had never been done before and hasn’t been done since,” he said.
“He spent a lot of his time (at Alexandra Park) and did a lot of work with young people.
“Some sort of acknowledgment for the work he did for many, many years would be fitting.”
One of the most recent re-naming of an Albury sporting facility came in 2011 when council agreed to name the sports stadium after basketball superstar Lauren Jackson.
The move was instigated by former mayor Amanda Duncan-Strelec.
