Ag Society fails to meet Centennial Park deadline

The Albany Agricultural Society's future within the multimillion-dollar Centennial Park Sporting Precinct remains uncertain after the society failed to accept or negotiate the City's "final offer" before the July 31 deadline.

Albany City Council endorsed an offer to the Society at its June 23 ordinary meeting after "exhausting all reasonable avenues of consultation", outlining a cash payment of $750,000 in exchange for the crown trust over the Hanrahan Road tip site held by the Society.

The offer also outlined a commitment to make Albany Leisure and Aquatic Centre and Railways Football Oval available at no cost for the Albany Agricultural Show.

However, now that the July 31 deadline has passed without a resolution between the two parties, the City is in a position to terminate the Society's current lease at Centennial Oval and cease pursuing the voluntary surrender of the Hanrahan Road tip site and instead negotiate an agreed rental price.

The City is also in a position to offer the use of land at Centennial Park free of charge for the Albany Show and the buildings subject to cost recovery.

Agricultural Society president Rob Wright said a letter was handed to the City on July 30 requesting an extension to September 15, but according to the City, the terms of the resolution of council mean it is impossible to extend the offer without a further resolution of council.

Mr Wright said the Society wanted more time to "see the bigger picture" and confirmed they had lodged freedom of information requests seeking details around the allocation of funding by the City.

"There's a lot more information out there that we are still waiting for, through different avenues, and we're not able to make the decisions necessary for such a big thing," he said.

"At the end of the day, the City made no provision, not even one dollar, for the replacement or the removal or relocation of the existing building. The options they've given us are totally unviable, we cannot accept them."

Albany Mayor Dennis Wellington said it was disappointing the Society waited until the last minute to make contact with the City.

"It's up to them to come back to us," he said.

"It's not as though they haven't had enough time.

"It's very disappointing that they, quite frankly, didn't take it more seriously."

City deputy chief executive Garry Adams said there was nothing in the resolution that prevented the society presenting a realistic and viable proposal to the council for further consideration.

"The City is, and has always been, committed to reaching an agreement with the Albany Agricultural Society to ensure the long term sustainability of the society and the annual Albany Show," he said.

"To this extent, the City invites a realistic proposal from the society as soon as possible."