Liberal MP Dee Ryall slams Whitehorse Council’s decisions on parks such as Walker Park
A LIBERAL MP has slammed a council for making poor decisions about its sports grounds. And the grounds’ users “certainly” agree the council isn’t acting in their best interests, according to a sporting club president.
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A LIBERAL MP has slammed Whitehorse Council for making poor decisions about its sports grounds, pledging $500,000 to boost a project if the Coalition wins the state election.
Mitcham state Liberal MP Dee Ryall said council officers were not offering cost-effective options to upgrade sporting facilities, saying proposals were “too expensive”.
She compared the council endorsing a plan to spend at least $2.4m refurbishing Walker Park’s old pavilion under the grandstand with Maroondah Council having just built the entire Coppersmith Pavilion for $2.75m.
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“Here we can’t have the same thing for the same price,” she said.
Ms Ryall said the proposed Walker Park upgrade would not even create an optimal facility for clubs, despite the large amount of cash, and has pledged $500,000 to help expand the pavilion if the Coalition was elected.
Mitcham Sporting Club president Luke Smith said sporting groups “certainly” shared Ms Ryall’s stance.
He agreed the council’s money “could be better spent” at Walker Park.
And he said officers had told him they weren’t willing to expand the plans if the extra money comes from the Coalition, but would instead use the $500,000 to lower the council’s contribution to the project.
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When asked about this, Mayor Andrew Davenport said construction would start in early-2019 to get the project done in line with federal funding guidelines.
He said the council was “keen to work cooperatively with local members of parliament and discuss funding commitments that can support the future development of sporting facilities.”
He defended officers work in planning the development of facilities.
“The focus of council officers has been very much about taking a consultative approach,’’ he said.
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