But on Rosehill we strongly disagree with Waterhouse,as well as Rosehill-based trainers Chris Waller,Lee Curtis and Richard Freedman,who have also made public comments criticising the proposed sale.
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In fairness,the ATC has so far not handled the politics of this proposal well. Members felt blindsided and do not think they have enough information about the alternative facilities on offer. The ATC board is wavering. If the sale went to a vote of the membership today,it would probably fail. This would not be in Sydney’s interests.
The ATC,the Minns government and other stakeholders must come together to find a way to make the Rosehill redevelopment happen. One option,as reported today by theHerald’s state political editor Alexandra Smith,is for racing authorities to relocate Rosehill racecourse to the brick pit at Sydney Olympic Park.
The idea makes sense. The area remains terribly underutilised,the brick pit site is adjacent to the existing rail station and is a five-minute walk from a soon-to-be-built Metro station,and Sydney Olympic Park is much closer to the CBD than other options floated by the ATC for upgraded facilities such as Warwick Farm. There is one small problem:the brick pit is home to the endangered green and golden bell frog.
The frog may prove an insurmountable problem but the Sydney Olympic Park idea is certainly worth exploring. The scale of the housing crisis and the rare opportunity Rosehill affords Sydney demands creative thinking from all levels of government,and for the self-interest of others to finally take a back seat.
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