IT'S been a fixture in the childhood memories of many Lake Macquarie locals, but come Monday night, the decision could be made to flatten the Myuna Bay Sport and Recreation Centre for good.
Lake Macquarie council doesn't have the power to refuse a Department of Regional NSW development application to knock down the buildings on the site without the approval of the minister.
And, with no clear plans for a replacement on land previously part of Morisset Hospital, mayor Kay Fraser wants answers.
"It's had a lot of impacts, not only for people who did use that centre, but to close important infrastructure without anything being built that's like-for-like is pretty bad," she said.
"We want to get more answers, we're trying to get more answers, if the state government is saying land ownership on the Morisset site is an issue, it needs to be sorted out.
"Since 2019 we've had nothing, nothing's happened. Every kid wants to go to a sport and recreation centre but that's been ripped from our community.
"So if they're serious about building a new centre, why hasn't it started? What does it look like? Is it like-for-like? That was the promise and I'm concerned our community is missing out."
The DA seeks to demolish buildings and structures associated with the former Myuna Bay Sport and Recreation Centre, including carparks, accommodation lodges and outdoor activity spaces.
Structures on nearby Crown Land and Whiteheads Lagoon would also be knocked down and water and sewer services switched off.
Part of the DA includes remediation and earthworks on the site.
If the council does refuse the DA, it will need the consent of the minister, but if a decision isn't made by December 20 the applicant could refer the proposal to the Hunter and Central Coast Regional Planning Panel to decide.
According to a report to councillors set for Monday night's meeting, there have been several incidents of unauthorised access to the site resulting in theft and vandalism since it was shut down in 2019.
The controversial closure was the result of concerns about the risks the nearby Eraring Power Station's coal ash dam posed in the event of a major earthquake.
Six submissions were received on the proposal, five of which were against it - arguing structures in and next to Whitehead Lagoon built, maintained and used by the Myuna Bay Tournament Waterski Club as well as toilet blocks should remain on site.
Others pointed out the centre was closed without public consultation and that neighbouring development has continued to function since the release of the report.
Another argued there must be other options besides demolition, and asked for the application to be put on pause for them to be explored.
Myuna Bay had operated as a sport and recreation centre since the 1940s, with overnight accommodation for short stays and camps.
Plans for a new centre at Morisset were announced in January, last year, but the council claims little movement has been made on developing the site.
In August, Lake Macquarie MP Greg Piper told the Newcastle Herald the hold up was due to the process of transferring the land at Morisset from NSW Parks and Wildlife into the hands of the NSW Office of Sport.
At the time, the NSW Office of Sport said it was looking into the scope and design of the new centre, and expected to deliver a construction timeline after planning and consultation is complete.
