Geelong council calls for bipartisan funding for Devlins Road Reserve
Peter Dutton made a funding commitment for the reserve, but the council is now calling for matching bipartisan commitments at a state and federal level
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Geelong council is calling for bipartisan government commitments to fund upgrades at the Devlins Road Reserve, saying it would support growing female sport participation.
Upgrading the facility was one of City Hall’s “priority projects” presented to local MPs and candidates ahead of the federal election.
Since 2010, sport in the Ocean Grove and Wallington areas has grown by 40 additional clubs – including 10 female teams – but the council says a lack of facilities, including change rooms, is hampering the growth of female sport.
The call from the council came shortly after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese committed $5.45m to upgrade netball facilities at the Drysdale Recreation Reserve.
While the courts and lighting at the Drysdale facility have been described as “terrible” by club representative Sarah Martin, an upgrade was not one of council’s priority projects.
At the Geelong Advertiser’s Future Geelong event in March, Peter Dutton pledged $5m to the development of a sporting precinct at Devlins Road Reserve if the Coalition was elected.
Mr Dutton said the reserve would be developed to include sports fields, a pavilion, pedestrian paths and landscape improvements.
He highlighted the region’s surging population and echoed the council’s messaging about the increase in female participation in sport as a need for the upgrade.
“We need to ensure that local population growth is backed up with the necessary local infrastructure,” Mr Dutton said.
“And that’s what this investment is all about.”
But the council said it was seeking $10m to deliver the first stage of the project.
This would need a matching investment from the state government, or further funding from the federal government.
Mayor Stretch Kontelj said the Devlins Road Reserve Master Plan was important to support the growth of communities on the Bellarine.
He said council would welcome “bipartisan funding commitments” from both state and federal parties “to kick off stage one” of the project.
“More and more women and girls are taking up sport and we need fit for purpose and modern facilities that support them,” Mr Kontelj said.
Connewarre ward Elise Wilkinson said sport was important to the community.
“With the shortfall in infrastructure, we’re struggling to meet demand and so we urge both sides of government to commit to this worthy project.”
The reserve, located off Gambier St, currently includes a football oval and synthetic cricket pitch.
The remaining upgrades in stage one of the reserve’s master plan include the construction of soccer pitches, a pavilion, lighting and fences.
Originally published as Geelong council calls for bipartisan funding for Devlins Road Reserve
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