Locals fear Canterbury Sports Ground faces ruin due to level crossing removal plans

Locals will fight a plan to use Canterbury Sports Ground for a level crossing removal project.

AFL legend Francis Bourke, a long time member of the Canterbury Cricket Club is leading a fight to save Canterbury Sports Ground. Francis is pictured with Cricket Club President Paul Townsend and Ann Brennan from the Cricket Club Womens Committee. Picture: Mark Stewart

The historic Canterbury sports ground faces ruin if used for carparking and as a base for infrastructure equipment, locals fear.

Four clubs and a kindergarten which use the venue have called on the State Government to remove it from Level Crossing Removal Program plans.

Those opposing the move say the ground, in Surrey Hills, is Melbourne’s most beautiful heritage sporting oval.

They say there are plans to lay asphalt on the playing surface but that they knew nothing of this until days before public submissions were to close.

AFL legend Francis Bourke, a long time member of the Canterbury Cricket Club is leading a fight to save Canterbury Sports Ground. Picture: Mark Stewart

Car parks and areas to store construction equipment will be needed for the Surrey Hills/Mont Albert round of works.

A statement from Canterbury Sports Ground’s advocates said it is the only recreational space in the area’s Chatham precinct.

A better alternative for the project was the old Box Hill brickworks site, it said.

“Why hijack such a valuable, vital and heavily used community space, when other far more viable alternatives exist,” the statement said.

Footy legend Francis Bourke, a former president of the 134-year-old Canterbury Cricket Club and a life member, is in for the fight.

The former Richmond premiership hero said he was fearful about what impact the project would have on a prized community asset.

“I am very concerned about the threat to the existence of the CCC,” Bourke said.

“The club fields 25 teams with cricket opportunities for over 350 men, women, girls and boys of all ages.

The prospect of being unable to have access to their home ground is completely contrary to what community participation stands for and represents a huge threat to the very future existence of the Club.”

Those fighting the move say it would be a bitter blow in the aftermath of COVID.

They say the venue is a valued community asset for everyone, with an aged-care facility nearby as well as a preschool, playground and a Tennis Club.

A State Government spokeswoman said removal of crossings at Union Road, Surrey Hills, and Mont Albert Road, Mont Albert, was being fast-tracked.

The spokeswoman described them as two of the most dangerous of the 45 the government had removed and 20 it was yet to eliminate.

The Canterbury ground is within the project planning area but this did not mean it would necessarily be required as part of the construction process.

“There are no plans to use any sporting grounds as a construction lay-down area, and no decisions will be made without full consultation with the sporting clubs,” the spokeswoman said.