AC Milan and Internazionale. Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers. Queanbeyan City FC and Monaro Panthers.
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What do they all have in common?
They all share playing facilities, and it’s a constant source of tension.
In September the current agreement granting use of Riverside Oval to both Queanbeyan City and Monaro will expire.
At the latest Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council meeting it was recommended that another three year agreement be entered into by both teams.
Over the next few weeks council will discuss the issue with the two clubs and hope to see the current situation continue, however Monaro vice-president Daniel Watts said there may not be a simple solution.
“We will challenge it,” Mr Watts said.
“As a board of one of the larger clubs in town, we wouldn’t be doing our job if we weren’t trying to get the best for our club.
“In saying that you have to look at the best option for the community as well and we wouldn’t want to isolate people.”
Under the Sports Facilities Strategic Plan, which was adopted at the June 14 meeting, council determined that all Queanbeyan sports teams should have their own home ground facilities.
A council spokesman said while the long term goal was for both clubs to have their own facilities the current ground-sharing would need to continue.
“It is not currently possible to provide each club with exclusive use of a suitable oval and pavilion facility,” the spokesman said.
“Joint occupancy is not without its challenges, but the current arrangement is a compromise that ensures that the higher grades of football are played at the best facility in Queanbeyan.”
While the sharing of Riverside Oval may currently be feasible, it will become logistically far more difficult if Queanbeyan City are granted a licence to play in the National Capital Premier League.
Queanbeyan City vice-secretary Mark Spaseski said the club would be applying for a premier league licence in the near future and that the current situation may become untenable.
“Once we get the licence for premier league we are going to approach the council to give us facilities,” Mr Spaseski said.
The problem is there may not be any extra facilities for council to give to either team.
Mr Spaseski said Queanbeyan City often have to hold their games at the High Street Playing Field when Capital Football double book Riverside.
This is not ideal as there was no grandstand, canteen and a lack of acceptable changing rooms, he said. However, if council was prepared to upgrade the amenities at High Street Mr Spaseski said Queanbeyan City would be happy to move there in the future.
Meanwhile, Mr Watts said Monaro were frequently forced to move fixtures to accommodate Queanbeyan City. Monaro regularly hold both men’s and women’s premier league games at Duncan sporting fields, which are not suitable for that level of football, he said.
One solution council has put forward is the proposed Regional Sports Complex, which would be located off Tompsitt Drive. The facility would have several premier league quality fields, a hockey field and an indoor aquatic centre.
Mr Watts said this proposed facility would be ideal, but said “I don’t see that ever happening.”
Monaro Panthers secured more than 1000 player registrations this year and if Queanbeyan City join the premier league the club is expected to grow, which means ground-sharing will only become more difficult.