RELATED COVERAGE: Split opinion on netball migration
A MULTISPORT complex at Monash Reserve, new playing ovals for Burrage and Northern Reserves and fixing Ted Summerton Reserve’s boggy playing surface once and for all are among the big ticket items slated for an overhaul of Moe and Newborough’s major sporting centres.
Latrobe City Council this month adopted its Moe Newborough Outdoor Recreation plan, set to transform the district’s seven major sporting complexes over the next decade, depending on state and federal funding opportunities.
Sporting facilities at Ted Summerton Reserve, Joe Tabateau Reserve, Olympic Park, Moe Botanic Gardens, Burrage Reserve, Monash Reserve and Northern Reserve have all been earmarked for significant improvements.
While dependant on government grants, councillor Sharon Gibson said council would attempt to push through the multimillion dollar vision for the towns irrespective of external support.
“We’re looking at what we can fund each year (including master plans for the other districts in the region),” Gibson said.
“Instead of just having a plan on the shelf waiting, we’ll see what we can actually implement each year (through capital works).
“We’re working as hard as we can… to make things a reality.”
Improved drainage, irrigation and lighting for most centres was a common theme in the plan, with an estimated $1.5 million to be allocated for Ted Summerton Reserve, where surface problems have persisted despite a $5 million redevelopment in 2010.
Moe Netball Association was another focus, with a proposal to shift the club from Saviges Road to a new multipurpose facility at Monash Reserve.
The plan would see Newborough Tennis Association, MNA and Adrenalin Paintball share clubroom facilities, with dual marked netball and tennis courts to be constructed at the existing NTA site.
Gibson said the netball club’s current facility was aged and in need of a major overhaul, leading to the proposal for a change of location.
“Where they are at the moment, they’re landlocked. The courts don’t comply (with regulations), they’ve already had to turn down teams, they can’t get state events or the Vixens to come down… the site just doesn’t allow for it,” she said,
“You also have a problem with parking and safety, they park on the side of the road and it’s a really busy road. Crossing that is just unsafe for the kids.”
Other major winners were Moe Botanic Gardens, set to benefit from a two phase redevelopment of its 10 tennis courts, and Burrage and Northern reserves, which will each have a new field developed.
Gibson said the wholesale upgrades across the towns were necessary to accommodate a growing population.
With many clubs already struggling to accommodate growing numbers, Gibson said the impending housing developments in Monash Views and Lake Narracan would further increase participation in sporting clubs, necessitating reform.
“The outdoor rec plan is to look at the needs of our community now and into the future, because we have a growing population base in Moe/Newborough,” she said.
“This is so all the kids can all be healthy, be fit and active and enjoy themselves safely.
“It’s really good for the future of our community and our kids.”
Extensive community consultation, including 14 submissions lodged during the public exhibition period, was considered in forming the final draft.
Search for ‘Moe Newborough Outdoor Recreation Plan’ at www.latrobe.vic.gov.au to view the plan in full.
Ted Summerton Reserve
– Improve irrigation system and upgrade playing surface ($1.5 million)
– External access to amenities
– Provide additional storage and toilet/kitchenette for netball adjoining existing club facilities ($1.1 million)
– Additional storage for football
Joe Tabateau Reserve (Racecourse)
– Convert existing netball courts to car parking, shift Moe Netball Association to Monash Reserve ($1.7 milion)
– New underpass to improve access to sports fields from Mitchells Road ($2 million)
– Improve amenities, storage, lighting and add hot water to sports field clubrooms ($900,000)
– Upgrade Apex and Lions playground areas
Olympic Park
– Improve drainage, irrigation and levelling, and upgrade lighting to competition standard for both soccer pitches ($825,000)
– Extend clubrooms to include social rooms, plus two additional changerooms for females ($320,000)
– Improve car parking and pedestrian access with new pathways
– Remove vegetation at bocce courts to make good for use
Moe Botanic Gardens
– Rebuild six tennis courts as acrylic hardcourts in stage one, replace fencing, maintain lighting, realign courts ($918,000)
– Rebuild four tennis courts as acrylic hardcourts in stage two replace fencing, maintain lighting, realign courts ($612,00)
– Redevelop tennis pavilion ($418,000)
– Upgrade playground and picnic area ($65,000 – $100,000)
Burrage Reserve
– Add a third soccer pitch, including cricket markings and synthetic wicket ($1.4 million)
– Upgrades to cricket complex, modifying turf wickets to five pitches, improve drainage and irrigation, new cricket nets ($1.14 million)
– Upgrade baseball diamonds
– Add six new lighting towers for soccer pitches ($200,000)
– Install new irrigation for soccer pitch two ($310,000)
– Extend baseball/cricket pavilion, new changerooms and showers ($550,000)
– Extend/redevelop soccer club pavilion to accommodate females and umpires ($800,000)
Monash Reserve
– Redevelop tennis courts to include 10 new netball/tennis multipurpose courts, demolish existing tennis pavilion, add lighting ($1.6 million)
– Relocate Moe Netball Association from Joe Tabateau Reserve
– Improve drainage, install new lights for soccer pitches ($2.2 million)
– New pavilion for netball/paintball ($1.5 million)
– New playground
– Improved car parking
Northern Reserve
– New junior oval with AFL goal posts ($470,000)
– Improve drainage, upgrade lights, install irrigation ($600,000)
– Upgrade clubrooms ($500,000)
– Improve parking
