ALMOST a decade after the first appeal to upgrade the J.C. King Park pavilion was made to Albury Council for an upgrade. some of Albury Netball Association's longest serving officials were reunited for the official opening of the $2 million venue upgrade on Saturday.
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Joan Landy, who was ANA president in 2009 when the first letter was sent to council seeking an upgrade, was reunited at the opening by other life members including Anne Lawrence, Iris Livingstone and Helen Spittal.
The former building had stood for 54 years, but was showing its age when the campaign for a replacement began.
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"The conditions were fairly dreadful," Mrs Landy said.
"It was always freezing cold even with the heaters on.
"Our biggest fear the whole building was going to collapse because it had fallen so much in one corner.
"You were almost too scared to go down there.
"They were difficult conditions to work in and you would be there for hours at a time.
"But we managed and found a way."
Mrs Landy said the biggest stumbling block the ANA encountered was the many competing priorities the council had for sporting facility upgrades.
"If you don't push, you don't get," she said.
"They always knew it had to happen, but it was just a matter of finding an opportunity to put the funding aside."
The redevelopment features include new kitchen, changerooms, toilets and timekeepers' box with sweeping views right across the venue.
"It is a pretty impressive and I can't believe the scale of it," Mrs Landy, who had a 25-year involvement with the ANA, said.
"The room is so big and really bright and open.
"It should be a great community asset as well."
Memorabilia which had been sitting in storage can now also be displayed.
"Everyone is pretty excited because it has been a long time in the making," Cr Mack said.
"No longer do they have to worry about being cramped and the roof maybe falling in on their heads.
"Everyone has worked really hard to see this to fruition.
"J.C. King Park has a rich history in this city with a lot of people who have played there over the years.
"Hopefully now we can attract some major carnivals and bring some serious economic benefit to the community."
