Why we're consulting

At its meeting of March 20, 2023, Wodonga City Council (Council) resolved to give public notice under Section 115 of the Local Government Act 2020 (Act) that it intends to enter into a lease with Wodonga Hockey Club Incorporated for the premises contained in Certificate of Title Volume 10362 Folio 364 known as the ‘Wodonga Hockey Pavilion’ (Proposal).

The key terms of the lease are:

  • A 20-year lease, made up of an initial 10 years with 2 further options of 5 years each;
  • A rent-free period for the initial 10-year term; and,
  • A rental charge of $150 plus GST per annum in the first year of the first 5-year option, with a fixed increase of 2.5% per annum on each commencement date during the term and any further term.

The council will review the feedback from the community to guide decision-making as we review the proposed lease.

Background information

Wodonga Hockey Facility, (on part of the land contained in Certificate of Title Volume 10362 Folio 364) is owned by Wodonga Council and located at Silva Drive within the Birallee Park sporting precinct.

At the ordinary council meeting on August 20, 2018, council resolved to enter into a new lease for a term of 20 years term made up of an initial ten-year term followed by two further five-year extension options.

The 20-year lease between council and Hockey Albury Wodonga (HAW) for the Wodonga Hockey Facility was signed in October 2018. The lease area consisted of the new synthetic hockey field, a shared canteen building and the surrounding grounds.

The club’s justification for this request was to align the lease with the total expected life of the new surface, which is 20 years, and as recognition of their $230,000 contribution to the project.

HAW operates the local hockey competition at both the Albury and Wodonga hockey facilities. Wodonga Hockey Club (WHC), home field is the Wodonga facility, and under the current arrangements are a subtenant of Hockey Albury Wodonga Incorporated at the Silva Drive facility.

In 2019 WHC successful secured $500,000 in federal funding to go towards a new hockey pavilion at the Wodonga Hockey Facility. The project includes a new clubroom, canteen, and improved facilities for the club. The club committed $200,000 of their own funds to the project and were successful in their budget submission presented to Wodonga Council in 2019-20 for a further $300,000 committed to the project.

In June 2021 Wodonga Council received an additional $1,650,000 towards the Birallee Precinct Masterplan project via the Victorian Government’s Community Sports Infrastructure Stimulus Program to enable both the construction of the new hockey pavilion and the renewal and upgrade of the adjacent change room facilities to occur simultaneously.

At its December 2021 meeting, Council agreed to contribute a further $500,000 to enable the project to proceed with minimal reductions in scope following significant increases in construction costs incurred since the original funding was secured.

Initial construction works commenced in February 2022 with the project completion date set for early April 2023.

The operational management at the conclusion of the project will see the HAW lease area reduced, with WHC to enter into a lease agreement with Wodonga Council for the newly constructed Wodonga Hockey Pavilion and immediate surrounds (refer to blue area highlighted in attachment 3).

As part of the lease negotiations with WHC for the new pavilion they have submitted a written request (attached) for a lease term greater than 10 years. They were advised that any term over ten years would trigger section 115 of the Local Government Act 2020 and would need council approval.

This proposed arrangement has been agreed in principle by existing lease holders HAW, and Council would need to amend the HAW lease to reduce their lease area to reflect this change.

Document Library

Ways to have your say

A person may make a submission on the Proposal. Any person proposing to make a submission under Section 115 of the Act must do so by 5pm on Sunday, April 16.

All submissions will be considered in accordance with Section 115 of the Act.

In line with our Community Engagement Policy, any person may make a formal or informal submission on this matter.

A formal submission must include your name, address and contact details. You can use the online form or Formal Submission Template document available on our website.

Formal submissions are published in full in the council report, excluding personal details.

Written submissions must be clearly marked as "Proposed Lease – Wodonga Hockey Club".

Ways to provide feedback for consideration: