A North Canberra Community Council survey shows that North Canberra residents want the Braddon Club site to remain available for community purposes such as recreation, community activities or a playing field.
“The Braddon Club site was part of the Northbourne Oval from 1925 until 1998. In 2006 the Canberra Raiders paid $420,000 for a lease that allows them to use the site only for the purpose of a club, and prevents them from selling it without the approval of the planning and land authority. They have closed the club on the grounds that it was not profitable. They are currently making several hundred thousand dollars per year by operating the site as a commercial car park, in contravention of the Territory Plan.
“The Raiders want to build a commercial/ residential development on the site, and sell it for a one-off $20 million gain. To get to the nearest park and playground, anyone who lives in that development would have to walk their children more than half a kilometre, and cross a dangerous multi-lane road.