ACT government officials aim to maintain the Manuka Oval as an elite sports ground while also featuring community clubs.GETTY IMAGES
ACT Government Dir of Venues Liz Clarke said that it is a "balancing act" to ensure Manuka Oval is utilized by Canberrans while maintaining its status as "an elite facility," according to Eamonn Tiernan of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. Manuka "could be used just six times a year" as Canberra's cricket and Australian football competitions move to the redeveloped Phillip Oval next month. Australian Football League Canberra will return for its senior grand finals in September "for what could be the the final time," with ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr "keen to keep the ground for elite sports." Clarke described Manuka as an "amazing" facility and said that she would not "close the door on Canberra's community clubs" utilizing the venue moving forward. She said, "I think it's a balance, it's an elite ground but we do have a lot of local content that we actually do play here, both AFL as well as cricket, and we'll continue to have that relationship" (SMH, 6/12).
