It was always going to be a difficult decision.
Councillors had to vote for or against the current development application for the Kyogle Memorial Rec Centre. Sounds simple — it was anything but.
Approving the current DA meant the Youthie building would be demolished to make way for the new rec centre.
Not approving it puts the $4.5million government funding in peril.
None of the councillors at the Kyogle Council meeting on November 10 were against the rec centre – everyone agrees how beneficial it will be to the town. But getting a rec centre off the ground has been controversial because of the youth laneway building demolition.
In the end, only two councillors voted against the current DA – the rest in favour. So the rec centre goes ahead and the youth who met at the youth centre – go where?
Here’s a summary of what happened at the meeting.
Council chambers was packed on the day of the meeting. This doesn’t happen often. About 40 people were there, most of them spilling into the foyer as the chambers only has seats for about 12 people.
There were five speakers during the public presentation — two Kyogle High School students Matthew O’Neill and Ruby Stafford, resident Samantha Watkins, Lea Hine from Kyogle Together and Bill Edwards representing Kyogle RSL Sub-branch.
There were passionate speeches from councillors too. The history of the site sat heavy in the room. It is a significant history tying youth and veterans together and councillor Brett McNamara spent time explaining that story.
As a first term councillor, Mr McNamara said the decisions about the rec centre happened years before this November 10 meeting.
“I’m at the end of a long conga line,” he said.
Decisions have been made since 2021 when the rec centre project first came to the council. It was called the Health & Wellbeing Hub then and councillors vied for what should be included in the hub. There was the push to relocate the community gym which is currently at the showground where it often floods, arguments to keep the learn to swim pool and many other suggestions including a heated pool.
During the term of 2022-2024, it was a divisive council making decisions and fraught with drama (including the sacking of the general manager). The antagonism across the table at council meetings was palpable. None of this helped ground the project and move it forward.
Since 2021, construction costs have risen and the longer it takes to spend that $4.5million funding, the more the money devalues. Councillors and staff did discuss tenders for the rec centre at the end of the meeting.
Councillor Robin Harley said it was an emotional issue.
“There will be winners and losers,” he said.
And there were.
Kyogle High School student Mathew spoke first in favour of the current DA for the rec centre.
He said he travelled to Ballina with his mates to train indoors for volleyball.
“Twelve months ago I made a petition for an indoor volleyball court and got 170 signatures,” he said.
Student Ruby stood to address councillors and staff.
“Sport brings the community together,” she said. “And the evac centre is a welcome addition.”
Part of this stage 1 building of the rec centre and tied to the funding is that it doubles as an evacuation centre in times of emergency.
“Young people must remain at the centre of the discussion,” Ruby said.
This was exactly what Kyogle Together manager Lea Hine stood for in her speech.
She said there were 100 submissions against the DA. One of the submissions had 45 letters and was counted as one submission.
“This DA has arrived without transparency and without the partnership this community was promised. You are being asked to approve a process that left your community behind,” Ms Hine said.
The Youthie is not just safe place for youth, several social programs run out of the building. Read more about what happens at the Youthie here.
“For nearly thirty years, council’s rent-free provision of the Youthie has made these programs possible,” Ms Hine said.
“Remove the building, and you remove the financial backbone that sustains them.”
What makes the removal of the Youthie hurt more is that there is no provision made for these programs and for the youth once the building is torn down.
“We were told to seek alternatives at Grove House and the Community Centre,” Ms Hine said.
Neither of these are credible alternatives, she said.
Samantha Watkins spoke against the DA and wanted it referred to the Regional Planning Panel because the project would exceed $5million when complete.
Kyogle RSL Sub-branch president Bill Edwards spoke in favour of the DA.
He said the sub branch had been consulted during the planning process and fully supported the development of Memorial Park.
“The revitalised memorial area will provide a more dignified and welcoming space for reflection and remembrance, while the new recreation centre will offer opportunities for locals of all ages to connect, stay active and participate in community life,” Mr Edwards said.
It was Mr McNamara who explained how in 1948, moves were made to establish a youth centre, cenotaph and park.
He pushed for the council to do a detailed heritage assessment on the historical significance and inter-relationship of the site.
The youth centre was a Women’s Rest centre as well and the site was considered a ‘living memorial’ to honour the fallen and a youth and community centre to serve the living.
Councillor Tom Cooper supported not approving the DA until the heritage assessment was done.
“I come to this with an open mind,” Mr McNamara said.
He wanted time for the council to consider the history.
He said he was well aware that “we have less than 40 weeks to spend it (the $4.5million).”
Mayor Danielle Mulholland said the Youthie was not heritage listed and the DA had been assessed independently.
“Councillors must make a decision for the broader community,” Ms Mulholland said.
“I don’t think a heritage assessment will change the outcome.”
Councillor Olivia Taylor stood up to make her speech.
“This DA is not perfect,” she said.
“The gym has been left out of Stage 1, (they have 300 members) and this is a failure to move it out of the flood zone.
“I acknowledge the failure and the community who are let down.
“I cannot reconcile the demolition of the youth centre without an alternative.”
The Youthie is a 135sqm space and a meeting room in the rec centre could be adapted for this, Ms Taylor suggested.
“I value history. Memorial Park has always been a connection for our youth and our fallen.
“I want to see our council go bigger and better for youth. I will advocate for the proposed meeting room to be fitted out as a youth space.”
The rec centre plan includes meeting rooms for the community.
“Let’s lift youth services – not take them away,” Ms Taylor said.
Mr Harley said there “couldn’t be any thought of not going ahead (with the DA).”
The emotion in the chambers during the meeting was high. This decision to determine a future with a rec centre in the middle of town and without the Youthie was hard. So hard.
Councillor Kieran Sommerville had this to say.
“As councillors we’re here to make tough decisions,” she said.
“There are no grounds to vote against the DA as it is.
“This centre will evolve over time, we just need to get it going.”
The last thing we need, she said was for the state and federal governments to question giving us funding for projects.
“I’d like everyone to be happy but it is too complex.”
Councillor Rob Cullen said he’d had sleepless nights over the rec centre DA decision.
He said it had been interesting to read the submissions.
“I was torn,” Mr Cullen said.
He believed the council had to move forward as well as work with Kyogle Together to make sure they have a designated space,.
Councillor John Burley said Kyogle was a strong sporting town.
“This is a golden opportunity to put this forward for youth – a space where the fallen, RSL, youth and community can all be together,” he said.
The argument had come full circle albeit from vastly different places.
There was tutting and murmurs from the public listening to the councillors’ arguments.
A man stood up, mumbled — “It’s an embarrassment” — and left the chambers.
The tension of the meeting lingered as councillors moved on to the rest of the agenda.
At the end of the meeting, the council went into a confidential closed meeting to discuss the tenders for the rec centre.
None of the tenders were suitable because they were over budget and the one tender that wasn’t didn’t meet the council’s safety standards. Since the meeting a tender has been accepted and the Youthie building must be vacated by January 5 next year.
After the meeting IndyNR.com asked Mr Schintler for a comment.
He said Stage 2 of the rec centre will require grant funding.
“With a state election a bit over 12 months away, we are hoping for a commitment, but we won’t rest there,” he said.
He said the rec centre would be a public building so a promise to one organisation over another to occupy it would be inappropriate.
“We remain supportive of youth drop in and services and will seek interest as to their delivery. We will seek the best possible services for our community, and look forward to what Kyogle Together may bring to the table.”
It seems, from the IndyNR.com point of view, that there could be — should be a solution that accommodates a youth centre within the rec centre. Why couldn’t a design embrace the Youthie while also being a modern facility?
The rec centre is funded with $4.5million from the Bushfire Recovery Fund (dating back to 2020) plus $1.5million from ratepayers/council.
History matters, access matters and our social fabric matters.
The decision at the November 10 meeting has hurt those supporting the youth centre and will continue to do so until a suitable alternative is found.
Final decision by councillors on November 10 was:
In favour of DA: Mulholland, Wilson, Sommerville, Cullen, Burley, Taylor, Harley.
Against: McNamara, Cooper.
This article appeared on indyNR.com on 17 November 2025.
