Geelong council votes unanimously in favour of $1.5m Hamlyn Park funding recommendation

After what could only be described as a tumultuous six weeks, Bell Park Football Netball Club was again in the spotlight at a specially convened council meeting on Wednesday night.

Geelong councillors Peter Murrihy (centre) and Eddy Kontelj (right) at Hamlyn Park in 2021 for the official opening of new light towers.

Geelong council has voted in favour of putting Hamlyn Park forward for a federal funding opportunity in a move that has gone some way to mending the relationship between City Hall and Bell Park.

Councillors voted unanimously for the recommendation that will see the home of the Dragons vie for funding as part of the federal government’s Play Our Way program.

The vote also commits council to providing $200,000 to the project should the application be successful given the grants are capped at $1.5m.

The $1.7m project would deliver much-needed female-friendly facilities for the club’s more than 300 female participants.

Lasting less than 30 minutes, the specially convened meeting on Wednesday night had brief moments of tension but was generally uneventful.

It came little more than 24 hours after the state government announced the appointment of yet another set of monitors to oversee the inner workings of City Hall.

Eddy Kontelj, chair of council’s Active Spaces portfolio, introduced the motion.

He said he was disappointed he could not support the Hamlyn Park upgrade at council’s February meeting due to a leave of absence.

At that meeting, councillor Peter Murrihy introduced an alternative motion that prioritised state government funding for female-friendly facilities at Newtown and Chilwell’s Elderslie Reserve, rather than Hamlyn Park.

Eddy Kontelj and Bell Park president Jeff Jarvis. Picture: Peter Ristevski.

“I’m sure like other councillors, I’ve received countless phone calls, emails, social media reach outs from the broader community … expressing just how surprised, aggrieved, angry and disappointed they were at the council decision on that night,” he said.

“We can’t let this club (Bell Park) down again as it would be really an ultimate kick to the guts for them and would destroy their confidence.”

A small number of Bell Park supporters were in the public gallery, as was long-time Geelong councillor and former mayor Stretch Kontelj.

Mr Murrihy was one of six councillors who spoke on the motion.

He said the timing of the grant opportunity “couldn’t be better” for Bell Park “after the heat of the past month”.

“No one can deny that Bell Park are in need of a netball change room facility,” Mr Murrihy said.

“So we keep our fingers crossed that this application is successful.”

Some councillors appeared frustrated that Deputy Mayor Anthony Aitken was allowed to speak for more than a minute over his allotted time.

“This deserves to be supported by all councillors,” Mr Aitken said.

“But it doesn’t change what happened (in February) and, in fact, it doesn’t guarantee Bell Park will get female-friendly change rooms.”

Bell Park life member Glenn Brown attended the meeting and said the club was satisfied council had “now acted to try and secure funding for Hamlyn Park”.

“We acknowledge the efforts of councillors Kontelj and Aitken in strongly protesting the outcome of the February meeting,” he said.

“We look forward to working with council to achieve a positive outcome.”

Bruce Harwood, who attended the meeting remotely, said many “misnomers” emerged following the February meeting.

“I said on the night to listen to what’s occurring, there will be other opportunities, this council will do everything it can to support the Bell Park Football Netball Club and we are doing exactly that,” he said.

Play Our Way is focused on supporting projects that make sport more welcoming and equitable for women and girls.

Applications will be assessed through an impartial, transparent process led by the Department of Health and Aged Care.

Originally published as Geelong council votes unanimously in favour of $1.5m Hamlyn Park funding recommendation