FAQs

At their 20 June 2024 Council Meeting, Councillors reviewed a detailed site analysis report on potential site options for the MEC project.  The Richmond Park site was chosen as the preferred site option for further feasibility and Geotech investigations.  

A geotechnical investigation undertaken in October 2024 confirmed the Richmond Park site’s suitability, with no construction or environmental challenges detected.  Thus, the site became the official preferred site of the proposed MEC.

1. A purpose-built evacuation centre and multipurpose facility to cater for multiple indoor sports, the size of two basketball courts to accommodate local, regional and state sporting competitions as well as a facility to host conferences, local school and community events.
2. Local employment outcomes, including apprenticeships and indigenous employment opportunities, through the building and construction of the facility.
3. Local employment outcomes, through the ongoing management of the facility.
4. An increase in community wellbeing and cohesion through the provision of an indoor sporting facility equipped with a large stadium, changerooms, amenities and spectator seats with disability access, where sport can be played and watched 12 months of the year, in any climate.
5. Natural disaster readiness for the community, where many people can shelter in the facility and access emergency services.

The MEC project is funded through the Australian and NSW Governments Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund (BLERF). Snowy Valleys Council received funding to build a Multipurpose Centre in Tumut which has sufficient capacity to double as an Evacuation Centre in times of emergency.

The BLERF funding was created to support communities heavily impacted by the 2019/2020 bushfires in their recovery and resilience. In the Snowy Valleys, 45% of the LGA (402,650ha) was burned, and displaced families were moved to an evacuation centre 105 km away in Wagga Wagga. This highlighted the need for a purpose-built evacuation and multipurpose facility for the Snowy Valleys, helping to keep communities closer to home during emergencies—a critical gap in the region’s infrastructure.

Every change made to the original project scope requires council to submit a funding variation application to be approved by the funding body.  We have been advised by representatives from the Australian and NSW Governments' Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund (BLERF) that the BLERF funding program is being phased out and any further requests for major changes to projects are unlikely to be approved which would result in council losing the money.

Some councils have already had their funding withdrawn. For example, in November 2024, Armidale Regional Council and Glen Innes Severn Council were notified that the $14.1 million allocated for the New England Rail Trail had been withdrawn with the respective government departments citing a lack of progress.

Council has agreed that the region needs the MEC facility and that giving the funding back would be a missed once in a lifetime opportunity, not just for the Tumut community who would be directly impacted but all communities across the Snowy Valley Local Government Area.

The concept design will include provisions for other indoor sports like netball, futsal, cricket, and volleyball, based on the interests of the SVC community. The extent of development and the equipment purchased will depend on the available budget. The facility can be easily adapted over time for most indoor court sports.

Certain areas of the facility must be air-conditioned as per guidelines set by the Emergency Welfare Services (WelFAC) to accommodate people with medical conditions during emergency evacuations. 

As part of the concept design work investigations into what is the best and most cost efficient cooling options for the rest of the building are ongoing.

The Croquet Club (CC) had use of the old bowling green for their games under the auspice of Club Tumut (the Club) who had a lease agreement with Crown Lands to operate croquet courts on the land. The Club advised the CC in June 2024 that their board was relinquishing the lease of the Crown Lands and that the old greens would no longer be managed by them. 

Council became the new Crown land managers in December 2024 as part of plans for the MEC project.

To date no correspondence has been sent by Council to the CC. The Club (not Council) has been engaging directly with the croquet players on the change of land management and what new arrangements have been made available for the CC to play on lands still managed by the Club.

Council will support Club Tumut to help manage the transition of the CC to alternative playing courts, ensuring minimal disruption to the CC members.