Mar 26, 2015 | By Tigers

It is with sadness and deep regret that Balmain Tigers have surrendered the long standing Lease of their beloved home ground; Leichhardt Oval.

The Club, whose members have already suffered great loss, due to the closing of their social home on Victoria Road, Rozelle in 2010 are no longer able to afford the $250,000 per year it costs to maintain the facility to a basic standard.

The surrender of the lease will not have any bearing on the future use of Leichhardt Oval for Wests Tigers NRL fixtures. Any future NRL use is now a matter for Wests Tigers and Leichhardt Council, Balmain Tigers will not have control over what the future holds in this regard.

The cost of maintaining the surface, ensuring compliance, and servicing utilities, was due to increase significantly after Leichhardt Council announced it was about to exercise its rights to demand that the ground be used and hired out as a multi-purpose site.

“A lot of money needs to be invested into the site before it becomes an acceptable multi-purpose venue,” said Club Chairman, Leslie Glen.

“The Club simply does not have the resources to do this and is certainly not in a position to invest in anything other than what it is chartered for, and that is Rugby League.”.

The Club welcomes the idea of a multi-purpose facility but cannot be expected to be responsible for it under this agreement.

Although a public facility, the maintenance costs for Leichhardt Oval have not been borne by Leichhardt Council. The ground has not been a drain on the public purse. Those costs (substantial as they are) were borne by the Club.

The funds for virtually all of the current infrastructure at the ground have been either provided directly by the Club or with funds sourced by the Club. The most recent Federal government funding for the function room in the grandstand was sourced by our Club. Prior to that, our Club directly invested $500,000 in Leichhardt Oval with funds borrowed from the State government.

The Club has worked hard to repay that loan, despite its recent financial difficulties. The asphalt tarmac for the carpark outside the ground (used extensively by the public attending the swimming pool) was financed with funds procured by the club.

Prior to handing the site back to Leichhardt Council on 1st April 2015, the Club will have spent in excess of $100,000 over the past three months alone bringing the surface up to World Class standard.

Whilst the Club’s financial position is critical, it has honoured its obligations and will deliver the site back to Council in a very respectable condition.

“We want to make sure our members and the community are not misled into believing that Leichhardt Council paid or assisted in any way with recent upgrades of the surface,” Dr Glen said.

“In fact, immense pressure by Leichhardt Council was brought to bear on the Club, to secure the oval as a venue for the football Asia Cup training ground even though the cost associated with the booking outweighed the income received from it.

“That pressure was destined to continue under Council’s resolution to use the site as a multi-purpose venue.”

The Club would like to take this opportunity to thank the many volunteers who contributed over the years assisting on game days and providing valuable help wherever needed. In particular groundsmen John Owens, Steve Lloyd and their team who, with a limited budget have prepared the surface to the best standard possible, a standard that has seen the Wallabies, Socceroos, the Asia Cup, Sydney FC and Everton FC choose the ground as a training facility over the past six years. These people are passionate Rugby League and Balmain Tigers supporters, who would do anything for the benefit of the Club. Money cannot buy the kind of support that these people bring to the community and the venue will not be the same without them.

Balmain Tigers will handover the keys on 1st April, but not before one last hurrah, this Saturday 28th March 2015, when the Balmain Tigers Junior Representative teams run onto the field unbeaten after six rounds.