Melbourne Victory proposal to build academy, pitches at Footscray Park rejected
A contentious Melbourne Victory plan to build a football academy at Footscray Park has been rejected after months of community backlash — but the A-League club doesn’t appear to be blowing the full-time whistle just yet. Find out why.
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Melbourne Victory has been shut-out of Footscray Park after a $18 million proposal for the space was rejected.
Maribyrnong Council last night voted against the Footscray Park Masterplan update, which would have seen a Melbourne Victory Football Academy built at the site.
The vote came after a recommendation from the Footscray Park Community Advisory Panel, established by the council in August, to reject the proposal.
The panel said the proposal would result in a critical loss of green space and increase traffic and parking problems.
Maribyrnong councillor Martin Zakharov tried to have the decision deferred until the next council meeting on December 10 because it had been “too rushed”.
“I don’t think the people who wrote (the report) looked up the word stadium, because it certainly is not a stadium in any of the dictionaries I’ve checked,” he said.
However, Maribyrnong Mayor Sarah Carter said the proposal had taken a toll on the community.
“The aspiration was to make the inner west the home of Melbourne Victory but it’s just not Footscray Park,” she said.
Melbourne Victory received $10 million in State Government funding in April last year to help build the women’s and youth academy in the heritage-listed public park.
The plan also included three floodlit soccer pitches, six change rooms and a 500-person grandstand.
Maribyrnong Swifts football club was also set to benefit from the plan, with Melbourne Victory offering a partnership to create professional pathways for girls and women.
Many community members have been actively protesting against the plans since consultation began in March.
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More than 100 members from Save Footscray Park rallied outside the council chambers before the meeting.
Melbourne Victory released a statement saying the decision was “ disappointing and surprising”, given the council was “contractually committed to both the Melbourne Victory Academy entity and the State Government to deliver the earmarked Footscray Park site”.
“We have been working with the council (in partnership) for over four years on the project,” the statement read.
“Melbourne Victory is considering all of its options in light of (the) council’s decision.”