McIvor Reserve plan set for Maribyrnong City Council debate
Tempers threatened to spill over as councillors were confronted by angry residents at a meeting over plans to build a stadium at a popular Yarraville park.
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Passions threatened to spill over as tensions rose between a group of inner-city councillors and residents battling to save a popular park.
A packed house at Braybrook Community Centre saw Maribyrnong councillors confronted by Friends of McIvor Reserve supporters fighting a proposed indoor stadium for the park.
The topic dominated public question time with more than five people, asking two to three questions each, focused on McIvor Reserve’s future prospects.
Friends of McIvor spokesperson Miles Gilbert had two questions disallowed by mayor Sarah Carter for being “objectionable in language and substance” and being “aimed at embarrassing a member of council’s staff”.
“I reject that completely, but I would say my questions were directed at real individuals that make the decisions,” Mr Gilbert said after the meeting.
The much anticipated report into the McIvor Reserve masterplan is set to be unveiled at the council meeting on March 21, with the plan being publicly available in the council agenda on March 17.
While the resident group are set to meet with the council’s chief executive, Celia Haddock, on March 2, the public gallery voiced their frustration at having four days to read through the report prior to proper council meeting.
As they became louder with their concerns and tensions rose, Cr Carter warned of taking “additional action” if the residents continued to disrupt the meeting.
“If they truly had broad support from the engagement process, it would be very simple for the [chief executive officer] just to say, that she hears us, but here are the facts, but this Council chooses not to do that,” Mr
“Instead it hides behind governance rules that disempower residents.
“This plan to build a stadium on parkland has been hotly contested and is undoubtedly the biggest council crisis to hit Yarraville since the disastrous parking meter debacle that led to village businesses closing and an unfortunate fistfight in council chambers.”
Cr Bernadette Thomas proposed moving the deliberation on the master plan until a later meeting to give residents time to read the report.
The recommendation to note the group’s petition and for Ms Haddock to determine a response was carried at the meeting.
EARLIER MONDAY
The bitter battle between a residents group and a basketball association over the proposal to build an indoor-stadium at a popular park is set to continue as it’s debated at the local council.
Friends of McIvor Reserve will present a petition with more than 3000 signatures against an indoor stadium being built at McIvor Reserve
It comes after Maribyrnong City Council considers the proposal for an indoor stadium in Melbourne’s inner-west, following an outcry over the lack of facilities in the area
The petition is demanding the council take into account five things including making the preservation of open space a top priority: setting, green space, open space, and mature tree canopy targets, making the Open Space Strategy a top priority and forming a community-based green and open space advisory committee.
The group is also demanding the council advocate for state government assistance to secure a “brown land” site for public infrastructure like the proposed stadium.
The council released the McIvor Reserve Draft Master Plan last year to allow for further community feedback after residents asked for further information on cost, placement, size, and impact on open space following the initial consultations.
“We know there are some strong views in our community around this, but let’s not turn this into an ‘us versus them’ situation where we see elements of our community pitted against each other,” Mayor Sarah Carter said at the time.
“We are trying to achieve a balanced outcome that meets the many interests and expectations of our diverse community.”
However, there is support in the community for the indoor stadium which is led by Westgate Basketball. The club have put together a petition with more than 1000 signatures on the online platform to urge the council to green light the project.
The club’s junior program has grown significantly in the past decade from a couple of teams playing on four courts to more than 190 teams playing across 14 courts. After growing “exponentially”, the club needs more courts to handle the growing demand for junior basketball programs.
“I have two kids who adore basketball but struggled to get into a club in the west as the clubs simply cannot facilitate more teams. We are growing at such a rate yet facilities aren‘t there,” Emma MacGregor said, commented.
Brent Ward said there was a pressing need to have additional high quality indoor sports facilities within the City of Maribyrnong.
The recommendation is that the council receives and notes the petition and chief executive officer Celia Haddock determines a response.
The council meeting is Tuesday, February 21.
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