Moonee Valley Council plans new sports stadium in East Keilor

A NEW $31.4 million sports complex will cater for the huge growth in netball and basketball in the northern suburbs.

The Essendon District Netball Association and Aberfeldie Jets Basketball Club have been pushing for a designated stadium for several years to cater for growth. At the moment they can't hold midweek competitions as they rely on school courts to play, and there is no lighting.

CHILDREN will have more room to play if the construction of a new sports stadium in East Keilor is brought forward to next year.

The lack of netball and basketball courts across Moonee Valley was acknowledged by councillors last week, who unanimously decided to bring the creation of a new stadium at Quinn Grove Reserve forward to 2019-20 if government funding was secured to pay for other pressing local projects.

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The council is seeking $20 million in state and federal funding to go towards other projects so its funds can be funnelled into the stadium.

The council has also applied for an additional $30,000 from the State Government’s Community Sports Infrastructure program to put towards the stadium.

The Essendon District Netball Association and Aberfeldie Jets Basketball Club have been pushing for a designated stadium for several years to cater for growth. Sebastian, Phoebe, Alannah and Charlotte are keen to see the stadium built. Picture: Mark Wilson

The stadium will have indoor netball and basketball courts and gymnastics facilities. But the number of courts is yet to be determined.

The development of the complex was identified as a high priority by the council due to a lack of netball and basketball facilities in Moonee Valley.

It had been budgeted to cost $31.4m from 2023-2025, but council officers stated bringing the project forward was likely to save $2.2m.

This saving would largely come from avoiding year-on-year operational costs and reusing the building materials from the East Keilor Leisure Centre redevelopment.

The council letter dropped residents about its development plans for Quinn Grove Reserve but received no feedback.

Essendon Netball Club secretary Melissa Heenan said the stadium was great news for netballers.

“This is a win-win, providing not only a new competition venue but also facilities for training, and possibly coaching clinics, which could be held all year with no risk of weather implications,” she said.

Aberfeldie Jets basketball administrator Kylee Azarnikow said the popularity of basketball was booming.

Ms Azarnikow said the club had wanted the upgrade for years.

“The sooner the better, it means we can get more kids playing sooner than we had hoped for,” she said.

[e-mail] • @Rachel_Clayton_

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