Multi Sports Stadium key part of $25m plan for John Cain Memorial Park in Thornbury

A LONG-AWAITED stadium catering for netball, basketball and other sports in Thornbury will become a reality as part of a $25 million plan.

Children from Parkside Netball Club, Parkside Strikers and Shooters Basketball Club are likely to benefit from the new stadium. Picture: Kris Reichl

DAREBIN will shore up its reputation as a sporting hub with a $25 million plan for a new stadium as part of a major upgrade to John Cain Memorial Park.

Darebin Council voted to move ahead with the long-awaited Multi Sports Stadium, which has been on hold since its announcement in 2015.

John Cain Memorial Park in Thornbury to be sealed as Darebin’s sporting hub with new multi-sports stadium plan

The stadium, which could include six indoor netball courts, will be built at John Cain Memorial Park, Thornbury, which will be upgraded.

Council community development director Katrina Knox said the stadium would address a “significant shortage of indoor sporting facilities”.

The stadium will cost slightly more than $16 million. Picture: Kris Reichl

“It will provide important opportunities for more people to get more active and improve health and wellbeing, particularly women and girls,” she said.

The stadium is estimated to cost $16.1 million, $3 million higher than the original estimate.

Ms Knox said this was due to an increase in the number of planned netball courts and the adoption of an environmentally-friendly design.

She said the forecast $25 million budget could increase as the project took shape.

“The scope has been expanded to include additional works which will be of benefit to the entire John Cain Memorial Park precinct and its many tenants,” she said.

“Rolling this work into a single project and budget with the stadium development will achieve long-term savings and a better outcome for the community.”

There has been a shortage of facilities for sports in the area, particularly for netball and basketball. Picture: Kris Reichl

The council has set aside about $6.5 million for the project and hopes to receive millions in State Government grants.

Parkside Netball Club president Carly Kluge said the club’s more than 160 players were “thrilled”.

“It’s not only great news for local netball, but also other high ball sports, including basketball, who are in high need of facilities,” she said.

“(This stadium) will see a black hole in sporting facilities in the southern end of Darebin filled.”

The stadium is expected to open by June 2020, just five months before the next council election.

John Cain Memorial Park is home to the Darebin International Sports Centre, which opened in 2004 ahead of the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

The park is also home to Northcote City Soccer Club, Football Federation Victoria, Cycling Victoria and other sporting clubs.

You can submit feedback to the John Cain Memorial Park masterplan HERE.

@edjgardiner