REVEALED: Major indoor sports centre vision for Albany Agricultural Society’s premier pavilion

The Albany Agricultural Society’s premier pavilion could be transformed into a major indoor sports facility with cricket, soccer, hockey and tennis all in the mix for a new all-weather venue. AAS president Rob Wright, pictured, said preliminary talks were progressing well between key stakeholders including the City of Albany and Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries. Mr Wright said the demand for indoor sports facilities in Albany was rising and alternative use of the pavilions would benefit the AAS as well as the community. “We’ve got three large pavilions and a proposal has come about,” Mr Wright said. “We do use them outside of the show but we need to have a sustainable revenue for the ag society. “There is the Albany Leisure and Aquatic Centre, which has a highly specialised floor and doesn’t have space for everyone. “The City has been approached by a number of sports groups about another major indoor centre. We have that facility there and it is early days but we are certainly looking at it. The whole idea of putting those structures up was to use them for the betterment of the community.” The Exhibition Pavilion, Western Pavilion and Livestock Pavilion are all owned by the AAS, on land it leases from the City. Mr Wright said the 1800sqm Exhibition Pavilion would be ideal for indoor sports. “We are already in that sports precinct and it would work well for everyone,” he said. “It would require artificial turf being put down and I’m sure we can accommodate that sort of thing. We can work together and make it happen. There is a glossary of sports being talked about and we’ll see what funding is available. “Negotiations will continue. There is nothing definite but the proposal is there and we can work towards implementing it. “We can put an extensive array and arrangement of sports courts in one building, section them off and there is reasonable height factor as well. “We’ve got really good lighting, 400 lux all LED and raised and protected and any top netting could stay up.” The pavilions were opened in 2017 at a cost of $2.5 million. The AAS has a long-term lease on the land it is built on, alongside the green oval space of the Centennial Park Sporting Precinct. DLGSCI Great Southern regional manager Chris Thompson said the proposal was an opportunity to create more indoor sporting space and the fit-out would cost less than $300,000. “It has been identified as an opportunity to develop an indoor multi-sports training facility,” he said. “From grassroots training through to elite level stuff. “It would need a synthetic grass surface but the area is 30m by 60m for one pavilion and that is huge. “Albany has inclement weather and it could be an extension of the ALAC amenities and even be run by them. “Indoor cricket, hockey, soccer are interested and tennis even indoor lawn bowls is being talked about. “The next step is looking at a business plan but it’s progressing and very positive.”