Club hit for six by reason for volunteers’ name snub
A Parkdale cricket club has been denied permission to call a pavilion after two longstanding volunteers because they are not dead, despite many Melbourne venues, such as Margaret Court Arena, being named after people who are alive.
Inner South
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A cricket club has been told it cannot name its clubrooms after two longstanding volunteers – because they are not dead.
Kingston Hawthorn, a Victorian Premier club, wants to recognise stalwarts Brian Hunt, 80, and Greg McLeod, 65, with the Hunt-McLeod Pavilion at Walter Galt Reserve in Parkdale.
The Hawks say it would be a fitting and lasting tribute to their work for the club.
Officials asked the City of Kingston to approve the move, and the council referred the matter to the State Government’s Office of Geographic Names (OGN).
The club has now been told the office knocked it back because “names of living persons should be avoided due to changing public opinion and attitude’’.
But there are many venues in Melbourne named after living people, including Margaret Court and Rod Laver.
Hawks stalwart and Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association president Phil O’Meara said the decision was ludicrous.
He said the club wanted to salute Mr Hunt and Mr McLeod while they were alive and well.
O’Meara said both had made towering contributions to Kingston Hawthorn, the sport and local community, and deserved to have the pavilion named after them.
“It’s unbelievable …. the world’s going mad,’’ he said.
“We’d like to have a big function while they’re still alive and acknowledge 45 years of continuous service and unveil the Hunt-McLeod Pavilion after them. You wouldn’t think it would be too difficult. Everyone’s mystified, to be quite honest.’’
The council agreed with the club’s request for the naming, and sought an exemption with the OGN.
The OGN rejected it, citing a principle dealing with commemorative names. It states “the names of people who are still alive must be avoided because community attitudes and opinions can change over time’’.
In an email to the club, the council said: “The response from the Registrar of OGN acknowledged the achievements of Mr Hunt and Mr McLeod may be outstanding, but do not quality as exceptional circumstances under the naming rules.
“To explain this position, the registrar provided some examples of qualifying exceptional circumstances that included; winning an Olympic Gold medal for Australia, an invention that has resulted in significant benefit to the community, charity work that has made an extraordinary impact, a person who has sacrificed their life for another, such as in a natural disaster situation.
“The registrar encouraged other options to recognise the achievements of Mr Hunt and Mr McLeod, such as a commemorative plaque in their honour, which does not require OGN formal registration.’’
O’Meara said the Mordialloc Braeside Junior Football Club, the cricket club and the Walter Galt management committee had all agreed to the proposal.
“It’s taken three or four years of work to get everyone together on it,’’ he said.
“We’re all on the same page. And now we get this bloody letter saying it can’t go ahead. Pathetic.’’
The club is querying why the state authority should have any say over the naming of a pavilion at a local sports ground.
The Hawks say the facility is council-owned and managed and the City of Kingston should have the responsibility, leaving the government to record it in the appropriate register.
Kingston Council and the state government have been contacted for comment.
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WHAT THE CLUB SAID
“Brian Hunt and Greg McLeod have been involved at Walter Galt since the cricket club was formed in 1975. Both have been model citizens in the region and have given a lifetime of work, mainly to the cricket club in summer but they have also assisted the junior football club.
“Their service has been continuous …. these two gentlemen have given unrivalled, fantastic service to the community.’’