Enfield and Gepps Cross in the running for athletics complex
ENFIELD or Gepps Cross could be home to a new major athletics complex.
Enfield Harriers Amateur Athletic Club and the State Sports Park at Gepps Cross are both being considered for the complex, as part of an Athletics SA master plan.
Athletics SA Executive Director Adam Bishop said the plan, due in July, would look at a number of different sites in the inner-north and northern suburbs.
It comes in the wake of a redevelopment of Santos Stadium, SA’s only synthetic athletics track, which has sparked a 30 per cent drop in members, a $25,000 loss for 2010-11 and highlighted the need for a back-up venue.
"The master plan could find 10 suitable sites that will then be ranked on suitability and variability," Mr Bishop said.
"The next step will be working with local government to secure high-end funding."
But Enfield Harriers Athletics Club coach Kym Miller said the club was the only choice Adelaide had after Santos Stadium.
"We have been holding all the interclub competitions while Santos Stadium is being redeveloped," Mr Miller said.
"We have new clubrooms we put in four years ago at a cost of $900,000, which has made us the best athletics gym in the state."
Office for Recreation and Sport executive director Paul Anderson supported the State Sports Park being considered as the site.
But Mr Miller said it "would need a lot of developing" whereas Enfield was "already marked out and prepared".
"They would just have to drop in the surface because all events are already catered for," he said.