THE sports stadium to be renamed in honour of world champion basketballer Lauren Jackson has a leaking roof still in need of repair.
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Albury Council’s community and cultural committee last night voted 6-1 to rename the stadium Lauren Jackson Sports Centre with the only councillor opposing the proposal, Cr Daryl Betteridge, claiming the venue’s current condition was not worthy of such a change.
Cr Betteridge supports the main court at the stadium being named after Jackson, a move backed by the majority of the venue’s sporting groups.
“She is a world-class athlete and we should present her with an area that is world class and maintained adequately,” he said.
“We don’t have a stadium that is in 100 per cent, pristine condition to name after this fine woman.
“I feel the motion before us is well intentioned, but a little inappropriate.
“She is a basketball player, a great basketball player, who plays on a court and the main court at the stadium should be named in her honour.”
The stadium still leaks despite new skylights being fitted recently and Albury Indoor Netball Association president Trish Cerminara believes renaming the stadium after Jackson is too big a step.
“Lauren is a wonderful sportsperson, but I don’t feel she has contributed to Albury Sports Stadium’s development,” she said.
“The current user groups are doing that.
“We’ve given her a ladder to climb and she has extended the ladder to benefit herself, but not the Albury-Wodonga community and certainly not the Albury Sports Stadium.”
The committee’s decision will be endorsed by the council on Monday night with the instigator of the stadium renaming proposal, Cr Amanda Duncan-Strelec, to add further support.
She is not a member of the community and cultural committee and didn’t attend last night’s meeting.
The renaming is estimated to cost $60,000 compared to $10,000 for dedicating the main court to the three-time WNBA most valuable player.
Deputy mayor Cr Henk van de Ven said renaming the stadium after Jackson was an appropriate and timely move.
Cr Rob Angus said Jackson had earned the same right as other Albury sporting greats, Margaret Court and Haydn Bunton, in having sporting facilities named after them.