Horse Talk – News

Tamworth, Wednesday, January 17, 2007:

The Northern Daily Leader reported...

Equine Centre construction to begin in months

Development of the Australian Equine and Livestock Centre in Tamworth has taken a significant step forward, after a pre-tender meeting held on Tuesday at the TREC (Tamworth Regional Entertainment Centre).

The centre's construction should begin within three months, after the Tamworth Regional Council project committee met with the four firms vying to construct the facility, to discuss and explain any uncertainties in the tender documentation.

February 15 will be the closing date for Buildplan, Reed Constructions, Lahey Construct-ions and Hansen Yuncken to submit their final construction budget, before each submission will be examined and compared to the committee's approximate cost figure.

Project manager Michael Dubois says the council will then be approached with the preferred tenderer, at a special meeting held in mid March from which the successful firm will be appointed.

Mr Dubois says on site construction should commence mid April, with the hope the centre will be completed and ready for action in March 2008.

"There's a 40-week construction period set, and the tenders are all happy with that," he said.

"There's no reason why we can't hold a major event if it's in March of next year."

The equine and livestock centre will include an indoor arena to seat up to 5000 people, stables for 500 horses, a covered stud selling and warm up area, as well as truck and camping facilities for at least 212 vehicles.

Mr Dubois said he was excited about the potential economic and social boosts such a facility would provide the Tamworth community, and he believed the city was already prepared for such an occurrence.

"If you look at our accommodation, our eating facilities and our airport facilities we're definitely prepared, and the fact that we've got these facilities makes us an ideal location to hold such an event," Mr Dubois said.