SPORTS tourism and sustaining the region's economy will be key focuses for the new chairman of the Wangaratta Unlimited board.
Former Greta & Wangaratta Rovers FNC Premiership player, Barry Sullivan was elected to the post at the board's meeting last week and will hold the position for a 12 month term.
He replaces Michael Carlile, who stepped down from the role in July, citing the Rural City of Wangaratta's handling of the draft rural land strategy and council's decision to change the charter of its advisory committees without consulting the committees as his reasons for doing so.
Mr Sullivan said he understood Mr Carlile's reasons for standing down, but he didn't share the same concerns.
"It was a slight amendment to the charter, members of the board still get to have their input into who gets selected," he said.
"On the rural land strategy, perhaps there could have been a more effective consultative approach before the draft plans were released.
"But at the end of the day the democratic process worked.
"People felt strongly enough about it to take a big stand and at the end of the day, something that was deemed unacceptable has been revisited."
In terms of what challenges lie ahead of the board, Mr Sullivan said the addition of tourism to Wangaratta Unlimited's charter would provide opportunities.
"We need to make sure tourism is vibrant as well," he said.
"I think the two merge pretty well.
"It's really about a holistic approach of trying to make this city that we live in a preferred place to stay, live and work."
Mr Sullivan said sports tourism and helping the local wine industry were also challenges for Wangaratta Unlimited.
"We have already initiated a focus on sports tourism opportunities and our board members are taking an active role in a number of key strategic projects currently being progressed by council," he said.
"The wine industry has been a very successful part of this area and like in any other business sector it has strong periods and times of challenge and it's fair to say at the moment there's some times of challenge.
"Organisations like Wangaratta Unlimited can use our collective knowledge to provide some advice or guidance to try and help move through those tough times and sometimes that needs some tough action."
Two additional community representatives, Wendy Lester and Guy Wilkinson, both with backgrounds in the tourism sector, have also been appointed to the Wangaratta Unlimited board.
By -- STEVEN BURKE,
13th September, 2011.
www.nenews.com.au
Last Modified on 14/09/2011 10:46