Melbourne Victory’s $18m plan for Footscray Park shelved

The Footscray Park masterplan that would see Melbourne Victory build soccer pitches and a youth academy has been dealt another blow as a community fight ramps up.

Melbourne Victory’s $18 million plan for Footscray Park is likely to be scrapped in its current form after unprecedented and ongoing community outrage.

But it’s not dead in the water yet.

Councillors decided last night to start a community advisory panel — which Melbourne Victory would not be a part of — and establish a reformed masterplan over eight to 10 months.

Dozens of people, both for and against the plan, gathered at Footscray Town Hall on Tuesday night to hear councillor’s debate and vote on the draft masterplan.

Maribyrnong Swifts football club have said training was cancelled several times this winter because the grounds were waterlogged.

The upgrade to Footscray Park would have included a soccer academy and three floodlit pitches.

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton has thrown his support behind the plans and said the A-League club’s vision, which would have included headquarters for Blue Light Victoria, would help engage at-risk youths and provide a “pathway for the future”.

Council chambers last night descended into a shouting match between councillors and members of Save Footscray Park.

Local sports clubs were also set to benefit from the plan, with the Maribyrnong Swifts able to take advantage of a partnership with Victory to create a professional pathway for girls and women.

Councillor Sarah Carter moved a council recommendations to reject the masterplan and create the community advisory panel to develop a new plan, with more consultation over the next two to three months.

The upgrade to Footscray Park would have included a soccer academy and three floodlit pitches to help young people through access to sport.

Cr Carter said there was an “unprecedented” number of submissions made about the plan.

“Given the significant level of interest, this notice of motion represents good governance and I know that’s not always sexy but it’s a chance for due diligence and a chance to catch our breath and take stock of all that we’ve heard. So we can ascertain the benefit to the people of Maribyrnong,” Cr Carter said.

The council received 1500 submissions, with 54 per cent supporting the masterplan and 45 per cent opposed. A council officer said of the submissions that included an address, 59 per cent who lived in the municipality were against the plan and 25 per cent supported it.

The decision was not taken well by those who have been vehemently against the plan since consultation began in March.

Save Footscray Park members stood up, shouted and pointed fingers at councillors over what they said were the “wrong” terms of reference, and fear the community advisory panel will be skewed towards sports clubs.

MORE NEWS:

STORM VICTIM’S WIDOW SUES AMBULANCE VICTORIA

SPY FEARS SPUR TASKFORCE FOR AUSSIE UNIS

WHY YOUR COMMUTE IS COSTING MORE

Some called for the chief executive Stephen Wall to be fired, while others said the process was “undemocratic”.

They stormed out of council chambers before the vote.

Councillor Mia McGregor said she wanted to reject the plan outright.

Passive and active open spaces were “incompatible with each other”, she said.

“We have screwed up the engagement.

“The motion rejects the current masterplan and yet in a sleight of hand has council policy to continue to investigate — specifically to highlight the benefits of the plan. We do not have support for this, this has divided the community like nothing before.”

[e-mail]