Dorothy Laver Reserve: Boroondara Council decision sparks outrage
After months of debating Boroondara Council reached a decision on a plan to develop Dorothy Laver Reserve West, but the final call has divided the community. Here’s why.
Inner East
Don't miss out on the headlines from Inner East. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Glen Iris sporting clubs claim they will lose precious playing space after council agreed to turn a popular sports ground into a soccer-focused facility in what has been labelled a “trainwreck” decision.
Boroondara councillors last night voted to scrap controversial plans to turn 16,000sq m of grass at Dorothy Laver Reserve West into synthetic turf amid community outcry.
But cricket and lacrosse players will still be booted from the ground to make way for fast-growing soccer clubs.
Public outrage over Boroondara Council plan for fake grass at Dorothy Laver Reserve
Fake grass to be rolled out at Gardiner Park, Glen Iris
Neighbours not hot on idea to install synthetic grass at a Black Rock school’s sports ground
The decision means Glen Iris Cricket Club will be forced out next season, with two pitches slated to go as part of the $960,100 redevelopment.
And Camberwell Lacrosse Club, who has called the reserve home for 35 years, will also be shafted.
A tearful Camberwell Lacrosse Club president Jeannie Easson said the decision would “send lacrosse back a long way”.
“Soccer is just a juggernaught — there’s so much money, power and influence in it and we’re a non-mainstream sport, we just cannot compete,” she said.
“We will be reduced to one ground from two.
“We’ve done modelling and we can’t fit all our training or all our fixturing on one ground.”
Ms Easson also said moving training and matches onto one ground posed a safety risk.
“One ground, but with 14 teams is a safety concern — the centre wicket gets very boggy and during winter it’s dangerous to walk over with the studs,” she said.
“This issue has just split the community — it’s now become a lacrosse versus soccer mentality in what was previously a harmonious little section of Ashburton-Glen Iris and it will continue to divide the community.”
Cr Jim Parke voted against the proposal and slammed the entire process, calling it “embarrassing” and a “trainwreck”.
“The process has been flawed from day one,” he said.
“The recommendation changed so dramatically (from synthetic to grass) it seems clear that sufficient work had not been done and I hope lessons have been learned from that.
“I just have no confidence in what’s gone before and I think we have to go right back to the drawing board and start again in the new year.”
The council community plan received more than 11,500 responses from the public during two stages of community consultation.
Flooding was a key theme raised in the submissions, a council report noted.
Prior to suggesting Dorothy Laver Reserve West as a potential site for the synthetic surface, officers sought feedback from Melbourne Water.
The government body’s adopted 1 in 100 year flood levels for Dorothy Laver Reserve showed 98.5 per cent of the synthetic concept fell outside of their mapped flood area.
But torrential rain on November 6 caused the area to flash flood — sparking Melbourne Water to “reassess the flood modelling for Dorothy Laver Reserve”.
The council splashed $5000 to engage a specialist engineering consultant to model whether water flows in the area would impact the proposed fake grass concept — the synthetic idea was then scrapped.
Councillors voting in favour of the amended proposal said Boroondara needed to respond to rapid growth in demand for field sports, particularly soccer.
“It has been a long and arduous process — Like all of the councillors I received in excess of 200 emails,” Cr mayor Jane Addis said.
“I understand this motion is not giving everyone what they want, but if it succeeds it’s because the majority of us truly believe it is best for Boroondara.”
Council also proposed an additional 20 on-site carparking spaces, improvements to carpark drainage and committed to working with the affected sporting clubs.
Glen Iris Cricket Club has been contacted for comment.
MORE INNER-EASTERN NEWS
Hundreds protest forced closure of tennis clubs and popular cafe
Former pharmacist Adam Maxwell suspended for misuse of painkillers
Chadstone opens 9 new streetwear retailers in pre-Christmas expansion
Ultimate club-by-club NPL Victoria season preview
The NPL Victoria season is officially underway. Check out all the ins and outs and star players at every club. Plus, our premiership predictions for the NPL and VPL seasons.
Pictures: Victorian preppies start their first day of school
About 70,000 Victorian grade prep students have started their first year of school this week. Check back to see all the photos from primary schools across the state.