Local sporting clubs are again the big winners in Council’s latest multimillion dollar investment that will result in better facilities, greater accessibility and, more importantly, more hours of play.
Council awarded $8.96 million in sporting infrastructure contracts at the 12 November Ordinary Council Meeting, which is on top of the $16.18 million in sportsground upgrade contracts signed in September.
A $7.5 million contract has been awarded to design and construct two new pavilions and associated car parking at Donald McLean Reserve in Spotswood and W.L.J. Crofts Reserve in Altona North.
The pavilion and ground renovations at WLJ Crofts Reserve and oval, and other sporting works at the Donald McLean Reserve includes a $4.5 million contribution from the Victorian Government, through the West Gate Tunnel Project, to upgrade local sportsgrounds. The state government has also previously given assurances it will fund the rebuilding of the pavilion at Donald McLean Reserve, which will service the Spotswood Cricket Club, Spotswood Football Club and Westgate Golf Club which, combined, have in excess of 620 active participants.
At WLJ Crofts Reserve, approximately 400 regular participants from the Agility Dog Club of Victoria, Altona North Cricket Club, Western Jets Football Club and the Williamstown Superules Football Club will share the new pavilion.
These two pavilions will form part of a wider program of improvements at the reserves that will include ovals, floodlighting, cricket nets, playgrounds, pathways and landscaping.
Bayside College’s Williamstown Campus sports pavilion extension is a $1.46 million contract that will result in four new change rooms, a universally accessible toilet and shower, storage and a social room. Council has received $1.2 million from the Victorian Government’s Community Sports Infrastructure Fund towards this project.
The new pavilion at Bayside College Williamstown will support the Williamstown Junior Football Club, the Williamstown Auskick Centre, the Williamstown Cricket Club, Williamstown Tigers Netball Club and the Williamstown Football Club for their pre-season training activities.
As stated by joint Active and Inclusive Communities Portfolio Holder Cr Michael Grech
“These projects have been a long time in the making and go a long way towards meeting the demand for recreation in our city. The other great thing about these projects is that we are opening up the broader uses of the sites by rolling in playground upgrades to the scope of works.”
As stated by joint Active and Inclusive Communities Portfolio Holder Cr Peter Hemphill
“These works were borne out of the recently completed Open Space Strategy, which has identified that more than $100 million is required to build new facilities and upgrade others right across the municipality – this, and our September investment, is a big kick start.
“We have seen the steady rise of female participation across a range of sports and we need to meet this wonderful growth. These projects will ensure these grounds can be used to their full capacity. This a huge investment and, when broken down, what we – and our community – are getting is real value for money.”
