Netball courts proposed to be removed from Kardinia Park under new masterplan

Several netball courts were proposed to be removed from Kardinia Park under a new council plan for the precinct.

The City of Greater Geelong proposed to remove five courts at Kardinia Park. Picture: Alan Barber

Four netball courts could be left for community use at Kardinia Park under a new masterplan, the local council confirmed in an email to the Geelong Central Netball Association earlier this year.

The City of Greater Geelong’s masterplan for the precinct has been put on hold until after the local government elections.

However, in an email to the City of Greater Geelong in early June, attained by Freedom of Information, the GCNA said there were “too many problems to work with”.

It comes as the State Government is working on plans for a six-court stadium at Waurn Ponds for netball and basketball.

However, a timeline for works have not yet been revealed.

In early June, the association flagged potential timeline issues with the council about moving netball activities to Waurn Ponds, and were concerned all nine courts at the site would be removed.

“The timeline is going to be extremely difficult,” the association said in the email.

South Barwon White players at Kardinia Park. Picture: Alan Barber

“Courts being removed at KP (Kardinia Park) are in the first stage of the development but at WP (Waurn Ponds) they are in the final stage with potentially a (three quarter) year difference.”

In reply on June 7, the council said the plan did not propose the removal of nine netball courts at the site.

“Taking your point in relation to access and provision for community use ongoing, the draft concept master plan proposes to retain four netball courts for this purpose,” the council said.

The masterplan was due to be released on June 28, but consultant Urbis told stakeholders on the same day the process would be paused until after the local government elections.

When asked by this masthead for clarity about the number of courts being proposed to be left, now more than three months later, the council’s executive director placemaking Tennille Bradley said the masterplan was still under development.

“Therefore the discussion in the FOI is misrepresentative of the sports provision,” Bradley said.

“We look forward to providing detailed information about the masterplan once it has been endorsed for public consultation by council.”

The loss of several netball courts has been flagged during the consultation process with tenant groups.

Meanwhile, the association also raised concerns with the condition of some courts at the precinct.

“The courts we currently use are deteriorating quite rapidly and already neither AFL Barwon or GCNA use court two unless we absolutely have to,” it said.

However, in response, the council noted the association’s concerns with court surfaces.

“(We) have also booked someone to repair the court in the coming weeks,” the council said in June.

“The City will maintain courts as needed to ensure player safety between now any future site development occurs.”

Bell Park Green and Drysdale Yellow play off in extra time in the under-15 division seven grand final at Kardinia Park. Picture: Alan Barber

The association said Netball Victoria had asked if it could just “pick up” and move to Waurn Ponds, but it had concerns around facilities and when they would be delivered.

“We have absolutely no idea because it’s all too uncertain,” it said.

“We’re looking at years down the track so too far to commit to anything.

“We feel we’re being ‘encouraged’ to accept whatever is thrown our way whether we like it or not.

“We agree 100 per cent that more netball courts are needed in Geelong especially those that aren’t locked away behind a fence and free for the public to use at any time.

“Any new courts will be fully utilised and more are still needed.

“We feel that these problems need to be sorted as soon as practicable.”

Torquay and South Barwon fight it out in a grand final at Kardinia Park. Picture: Alan Barber

In response, the council said the design of the entire netball facility, including courts and change rooms, would be in the first two years of the project and be delivered by the end of year four.

“No move would be proposed until such a time that facilities at an alternate location were fully functional and available for use,” the council said.

“It would be good to understand, what the association sees as uncertain so we can discuss that detail.

“New facilities would also be designed to include key stakeholders and users, in this instance it would be Netball Victoria in conjunction with the future principal tenant (if known).”

The council also said pedestrian safety was an area to be addressed in the next state of the plan.

The association declined an opportunity to provide further comment.

Originally published as Netball courts proposed to be removed from Kardinia Park under new masterplan