By Paul Suttor - Illawarra Mercury
Concerns over the construction of the legends walkway at St.George-
Illawarra's northern base, Oki Jubilee Stadium, were yesterday put to rest.
The commemorative path at the back of the ground's western grandstand was originally meant to be opened last year but was delayed several times.
Return To Kogarah, a supporters group which led a push to get St.George Illawarra back to the venue after a controversial three-year stint at Aussie Stadium, raised concerns about the legends walk being finished by the March 6 opening.
Jubilee Oval Community Appeal (JOCA) promotions manager Frank Bates
said there was still some tiling to be done but promised the grand opening would go ahead.
Bates said JOCA, Kogarah Council and the workers involved in construction would have the project ready "come hell or high water".
"It's coming along fine, it's on schedule," he said.
Bates said the 15 living Dragons legends would be in attendance with
the 16th member of the group; the late Brian "Poppa" Clay would be there in spirit.
St.George Leader - 2 March, 2004
Kogarah Council General Manager Gary Sawyer has reassured Saints fans
that the Legends Walk will open as scheduled on Saturday.
Members of the R2K (Return To Kogarah) supporters group had expressed
concerns the Legends' Walk would not be completed in time.
Mr Sawyer said that while work had been held up by recent rains it would be finished for the official opening on March 6, even if crews had to work through the night.
But R2K member Lachlan McLean said that, based on the current state
of the surrounding park, it looked unlikely that the Legends Walk would be ready either for the March 6 official opening, or even for the Dragons first game against the Raiders at Kogarah, to be held the following week.
"When The Legends' Walk wasn't completed for the Dragons' homecoming against the Sharks, supporters were advised that the grand opening would be in November 2003," he said.
"However, following another delay, the opening was pushed back to the
March deadline that the Jubilee Oval Community Appeal (JOCA) is now
struggling to meet."
This claim has been firmly denied by Legends' Walk coordinator Frank
Bates.
"The Legends' Walk is on schedule," Mr Bates said. "The only thing
that needs to be done is the tiling of the column blocks."