Mitcham and Heathmont forced to delay opening of new club rooms with season on hold
They’ve waited a long time for their state-of-the-art new facilities. But with their season on hold, two eastern suburbs footy clubs can’t kick a winner anytime soon.
East
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Two eastern suburbs football clubs are set to get the keys to their revamped clubrooms — only they can’t use them.
Newly-promoted Division 1 club Mitcham, and Division 2 outfit Heathmont, are both due to finalise their respective projects in coming weeks, however the football season remains suspended until at least May 31.
The Tigers’ Walker Park upgrade was given the green light in June 2018 after a $400,000 cash injection from the Federal Government grant, $100,000 from AFL Victoria and a significant contribution from Whitehorse Council.
Change rooms have been upgraded to accommodate the growing number of female players along with a social club upgrade boasting a full view of the oval for supporters.
Construction began at the beginning of last season, with the Tigers operating out of portables on their way to the Division 2 premiership.
Mitcham president Matt McCubbin said while local footy looks “unlikely” for this year, the silver-lining in the COVID-19 shutdown was the club’s new home it could return to.
“The Walker Park development has been a huge job and is almost complete. Once handover occurs in the coming weeks the Mitcham football and Mitcham cricket clubs will have one of the best facilities in the eastern suburbs,” he said.
Heathmont’s H.E Parker Pavilion redevelopment has been spearheaded by a $3.5 million cash boost from Maroondah Council, a $500,000 from the Federal Government and a joint fundraising campaign between the football and cricket clubs.
The longstanding pavilion was demolished last July to make way for the new addition, with construction beginning in August.
Jets president Rob Parker said next weekend had been slated as the first weekend of footy at the revamped ground before the season suspension took hold.
“Once the footy season was delayed, it took the pressure off a bit because it was going to be completed for the Anzac weekend but seeing as there’s no footy, it slowed down a little bit and took a bit more time to finish things off,” he said.
The new facility will also house not-for-profit health promotion organisation Sport and Life Training (SALT), which works extensively with sporting clubs through its many education programs.
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“There’s four change-rooms on the ground floor and extra storerooms, then upstairs a multipurpose room then basically a bar, coolroom, kitchen and the big balcony right along the front of it.
“It’s a fantastic view of the ground, I got up there a couple of weeks ago and it’s a good sight – an excellent facility … hopefully we get some footy and we can use it.”
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