Outrage over Stonnington Council’s $2.5m consultant fees on Percy Treyvaud Memorial Park plan

Ratepayers in Melbourne’s leafy east are furious after it was revealed their council paid consultants millions of dollars for a controversial stadium masterplan, saying they just want the area’s “derelict footpaths and gutters” fixed.

Dean Hurlston and Denise Wallish are angry about Stonnington Council spending millions of dollars on the Percy Treyvaud Memorial Park masterplan. Picture: Hamish Blair

Ratepayers have slammed Stonnington Council for forking out millions of dollars on a masterplan for a controversial stadium.

The council’s $44.6 million Percy Treyvaud Memorial Park masterplan includes $2.5 million for consultant fees associated with the delivery of the project, including designs.

Stonnington Ratepayers Association president Dean Hurlston said residents were furious about the “outrageous” cash splash for a masterplan.

Mr Hurlston said the council was already spending more than $150 million on projects that delivered “little benefit to the majority of ratepayers”.

“There’s growing outrage from residents in Prahran and Toorak that have documented large sections of derelict footpaths and gutters,” Mr Hurston said.

He said many Prahran Netball Association members had told his group they would not be travelling the 9km distance to the park.

“They have told our representatives they will seek alternate leagues in closer proximity to the current site,” he said.

Sign protesting over development plans for a new stadium. Picture: Hamish Blair

But Prahran Netball Association committee member Linda Rowland said she supported the project as a stadium was “desperately needed” to accommodate thousands of basketball and netball players in the area.

“These players don’t have anywhere to play — there’s a real lack of courts,” Ms Rowland said.

“Other cities including Monash, and Boroondara have stadiums and upgraded facilities — it’s what we need.”

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Stonnington interim chief executive Simon Thomas said the council needed to accommodate the growing population.

Mr Thomas said the masterplan delivered much-needed indoor courts for netball and basketball and new facilities for sports clubs in the area.

“(The) council has an extensive maintenance and improvement works program for our roads — over $42 million is forecasted to be spent in the next three financial years on the construction and maintenance of roads, drains, footpaths and cycle ways,” Mr Thomas said.

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