One of Wollongong's oldest and most successful sportsmen has joined the growing chorus protesting against Wollongong City Council's plans to empty out a popular community sporting facility at the Beaton Park Leisure Centre to allow access for the Illawarra Hawks.

Ignatius 'Iggy' Gan, a life member of the Illawarra Badminton Association, is regarded as one of the best badminton players ever in the region. Aged 85, Iggy has been playing badminton in Wollongong since he moved here in 1967. "That's nearly 60 years ago," Iggy said.

When he arrived, the sport was being played in the former agricultural hall near WIN Stadium, and where the Wollongong Entertainment Centre (WEC) now stands. He fondly remembers how popular badminton was in the city in those days when the region was "a powerhouse" in the sport. 

"We played in that old hall on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays and the Illawarra had 50 percent of players representing the state," Iggy said. "We were developing juniors who became great players. In those days there was more than enough space for coaching young up and coming players.

"When they decided to move us out (to make place for the WEC) the Showground Trust promised us a new facility at Brandon Park. But that never happened."

It was the mid-1980s and Iggy said it was fortunate at the time Ted Tobin Hall was built as part of the Beaton Park Leisure Centre.

Fighting to stay

"This was the only alternative for us to play in and now it seems we're having to fight to stay here," Iggy said.

"I find it shocking. We are ratepayers and this is a ratepayer-built facility."

Towards the end of last year, sporting groups using Ted Tobin Hall were put on notice by Council that its preference was for the existing users of the facility to be relocated, freeing up the hall for exclusive use of basketball and particularly the Illawarra Hawks. Council explained that basketball was a rapidly growing sport and it had outgrown its long-time headquarters at the nearby Snakepit.

Following a backlash and protests by Ted Tobin Hall users Council backtracked, and the newly elected Lord Mayor at the time, Cr Tania Brown, made a commitment that no sports would be moved out unless they were found equal or better accommodation elsewhere in the city. She suggested use of school halls after hours could be the answer.

"They can't just take it from us," Iggy Gan said. "This is the only place in the city we can play now."

Sports juggling limited time available

He said because of the popularity of Ted Tobin Hall, which is in use seven days a week, a number of community-based sports and exercise classes have to juggle the limited time and space available.  Badminton can only get access for two and a half hours on Tuesday nights and numbers have had to be strictly limited given the lack of courts.

"It's not big enough and there isn't enough time to train juniors. It's shameful that we once boasted the most talented kids in the state and now we can't develop the sport here so players can reach their true potential." 

Iggy, who is a 12 times Illawarra singles champion and, at 77 was the winner of the world championship in his age category at the 2017 World Masters Games, says Council has created the current problem by not planning ahead.

"We've been approached to host the Australian junior championships on many occasions, but we don't have the facility. We need 12 courts in one location. I would have liked to have seen Council buy the old Bunnings site and build a facility that catered for all our city's future indoor sporting needs, but that opportunity is now gone."

Council has engaged consultants

Facing a dilemma at Beaton Park, Council recently engaged consultants to investigate the future of the entire Beaton Park site, including Ted Tobin Hall, and to progress the implementation of the Beaton Park Master Plan.

In a letter to sports using Ted Tobin Hall, Council's head of Sport and Recreation, Mark Berriman, said, "We're undertaking a feasibility study on options for Council to consider for the future of the Beaton Park site." He encouraged the sporting groups to provide their feedback to the consultants who would consider this in their report to Council.

"Whenever I see the word 'consultants' I get cynical," said the long-time secretary of the Illawarra Badminton Association, Eric Bradley. "I just see this as a cynical exercise."

Mr Bradley told The Illawarra Flame when this story broke last year that he felt Council had already made its decision to empty out community sport from Ted Tobin Hall, freeing up "exclusive access" for the Hawks and basketball.

'A feasibility study to find what?'

"I question why the consultant's work is being described as a feasibility study?" Eric said. "A feasibility study to find out what, and to do what? It feels to me like it's to find a justification for what's already planned, and Council already knows the outcome before they signed on the consultants."

Eric said the consultancy to date involved a "fairly bland"' online survey and when he raised questions directly with the consultant he was referred back to Mark Berriman at Council.

"There has been no information on the cost of the consultancy, the time-frame, and no detail about what it's supposed to be doing. We've had no face-to-face meetings with the consultants, but maybe that will come later."

Eric said after more than 40 years playing in Ted Tobin Hall, he felt badminton and other sporting groups deserved better treatment.

"This is a community facility. People come here on the free bus. It's accessible, there is parking, and there is security. There's a sign outside here that says it's a leisure centre. That means it's a community centre and you don't need to have a pathway to Olympic glory to feel welcome here."

No alternative options provided

Eric said despite the assurances from Council that no sports would be removed from Ted Tobin Hall without first being offered an equal or better alternative, to date they've not been shown any other options.

Gudrun Hirning, aged 76, has been playing social badminton on Tuesday nights since she moved to Wollongong from Germany 23 years ago. 

"It's such an important part of my life. There's no better way for me to keep up my fitness at my age," she said.

"All we ask is for Council to be honest and open with us and keep us in the picture about what's going on.

The perfect central location

"One suggestion I heard is that we could move to Holy Spirit College at Bulli. "I'm not driving from Kanahooka to Bulli every week to play. This is the perfect central location," Gudrun said.

"Council should keep this hall for community sport for all of Wollongong, as was always intended. Why should this be taken away from the people?"

Treasurer of the Illawarra Badminton Association, Geoff Tapsell said he struggled to understand why Council seemed so determined to press ahead with its plans after so much angst from the community.

"The whole idea of giving the hall to the Hawks is just outrageous in my view. This is community and it's social, and people just enjoy being here. They come from everywhere," Geoff said.

A huge price to pay

When asked what his message was to Council and the consultants Geoff said: "Do not take badminton away from Beaton Park. If you do, that's a huge price on the community."

As reported in The Illawarra Flame last month there have been protests and a petition launched about Council's plans for Ted Tobin Hall from those attending regular fitness classes in the facility.

They were pleased when the Lord Mayor intervened to meet with a delegation, assuring them that no current users of the hall would be disadvantaged through the Council's review of the Beaton Park Master Plan.

This message was reinforced in a letter to all members of Beaton Park from Council's Manager Sport and Recreation, Mark Berriman, who confirmed "we were approached last year with a request for use of the Ted Tobin Hall by the Illawarra Hawks NBL. He added "I wish to assure you we have no immediate plans to make any changes to the use and hire of current Beaton Park facilities, including Ted Tobin Hall. The current bookings for ongoing and casual hirers, including fitness classes, continue as normal and we're committed to ensuring we're meeting demand by providing the right classes at the right time for our members."

Basketball the priority

Mr Berriman went on to reconfirm a new home for the Hawks and basketball was a future priority for Council as it undertakes a review of the Beaton Park Master Plan, which was first adopted seven years ago.

"...we know there are challenges being faced by the basketball association who need additional courts and venues. They've got a waiting list of players and are using a number of school sites to enable children to play.

"This is why our current work on the implementation of the Beaton Park Master Plan is essential. While we've made it clear that current users of Ted Tobin Hall will not be displaced, we need to consider whether the Beaton Park Regional Precinct Master Plan, which was adopted in 2018, still meets community needs and expectations as the city continues to grow and develop. The Ted Tobin Hall is one key part of this strategic planning.

"Through a competitive process, we've appointed expert consultants who are working on a feasibility study to provide Council with future options for this site. This study will provide insights into what Beaton Park caters for well, where there are opportunities and where there are gaps. It will provide a clear understanding of the costs and benefits of future facilities and help Council to determine priority projects and potential funding opportunities to consider.

Does the Master Plan meet future needs?

"The current Master Plan proposes significant uplift in the provision of dedicated fitness spaces. Given the projected population growth in and around Wollongong, the study will confirm whether the Master Plan's proposals – as they currently stand – meet future needs.

"This is not simply a desktop review. We're having conversations with all major indoor sport organisations who use indoor courts at venues across Wollongong, to improve our understanding of what may have changed since the adopted Master Plan, including utilisation and demand for courts," Mr Berriman's letter to Beaton Park members said.

"It's important we get this process right and ensure future requirements of indoor sports are considered and tested through analysis for things that may have changed.

"We are committed to keeping our community informed as we work through this process – we're anticipating we'll receive the draft proposals by spring this year. I will continue to provide you updates as we work to ensure our facilities provide a wide range of sporting opportunities, from the grass roots to the elite level."

Writing is on the wall

One Beaton Park member who declined to be identified, told The Illawarra Flame he believed "the writing is on the wall" for grassroots community sports that have been using Ted Tobin Hall for decades.

He referred to a "significant change in the language" used by Council in its Draft Operations Plan for 2025-29 compared to the previous year. Last year's delivery program for Leisure Centres referred to Council providing "affordable and equitable access to health and leisure facilities for the Wollongong community."  In that document there was no reference to Council aligning itself with sporting clubs.

This changes in Council's new Draft Operations Plan 2025-29, which has included a new goal: "Continue to work with and partner with sporting clubs and associations to continue to deliver pathway opportunities to the community."

The concerned Beaton Park member fears that in choosing to champion the needs of one single sport (basketball), Council will ostracise and weaken community sport and do so "at its peril".