Magazine - Clubs hope on Monash Ovals

By Editor in Local Authority on 15th Jun 2009 8:00

Monash sporting clubs are hoping a new council initiative will help fix their drought-ravaged grounds and ageing pavilions.

The council last week voted in favour of developing an active reserves strategy with help from a steering committee comprising councillors and council officers. The committee members would consult football, cricket, soccer, bocce, croquet, and baseball clubs to assess and prioritise problems of more than 80 reserves across the city.

Mt Waverley Football Club president Graham Leask welcomed the plan and hoped it would address the conditions at its Mayfield Reserve home, which is now covered in sand, weeds and potholes.

He said the club’s 90 senior players had been forced to relocate to Mulgrave’s Wellington Reserve this year. “At our first three home games (at Mayfield) last year, we had to call an ambulance due to some sort of injury and I’m sure the ground contributed to it,” Mr Leask said. “It needs to be stripped backed and resurfaced, so we can return.”

Oakleigh Amateur Football Club president Barry Alexander said new surfaces had been planted at W.A. Scammell Reserve over the past three years. But the new surfaces had not been sustained because of a lack of water and constant use of the ground.

Oakleigh Cricket Club president Trent Shields said its function rooms at Warrawee Park were too small to cater for its more than 250 junior and senior members.

Oakleigh Ward councillor Stephen Dimopoulos said the strategy would give the council a clearer picture of issues that clubs faced. “Right now we get sporadic isolated calls from clubs about issues they are facing,” Cr Dimopoulos said.

Source & More: oakleigh-monash-leader.whereilive.com.au
by Adrian Bernecich

Read more articles in Local Authority, by Editor or from June 2009.