Melbourne Victory’s bold plan for Footscray Park redevelopment angers locals

A bold upgrade that could help young people through soccer and community activities has been met with opposition — from local dog walkers. That’s despite Victoria’s top cop throwing his weight behind the plans.

Children from Melbourne Victory and Maribyrnong Swifts show their support. Picture: Wayne Taylor

Victoria’s top cop has backed a plan for Melbourne Victory to take over a prime parcel of land in Footscray, hoping it may help get troubled youths off the street.

Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton threw Victoria Police’s support behind the A-League club’s bold plan to build a community hub at Footscray Park, including playing fields, a soccer academy and state headquarters for Blue Light Victoria.

A group of dog walkers has pleaded with Maribyrnong Council to reject the $18 million proposal, which has already secured $10 million of State Government funding.

But Mr Ashton told the Herald Sun the redevelopment could help engage at risk youths in the vibrant community, providing a “pathway for the future”.

“We know that engagement through sport is a great means of being active in your community and that can have some very positive outcomes,” he said.

“For us, that’s something meaningful.”

Victory’s “Academy and Community” facility on the west side of the park would include three floodlit pitches, six male and female change rooms and undercover viewing areas for 500 spectators.

The new hub would include playing fields, a soccer academy and state headquarters for Blue Light Victoria, and these could help local kids. Picture: Wayne Taylor

It would also boast community and educational areas and a new home for Blue Light Victoria to run key programs to help police engage with youth.

Mr Ashton said it “could make a real impact’’ to police trying to “engage’’ with at risk youths in the region.

“Blue Light Victoria plays a big role in the inner west and there is a crime prevention program they are keen to run from Footscray Park, so it’s a great opportunity,” he said.

“But also more generally, the football centre of excellence will help with engagement, social cohesion and to bring the community together.

“So we are very keen for this to get up and it’s great that the state government has provided funding for this project.”

He said the site’s location close to Victoria University, and the educational pathways it could provide was also a free kick.

“For future growth as well, we see a lot of positives out of this project,” he said.

“That’s why we are keen to support it — it will engage people through sport...provide that key educational pathway and geographically it’s very important to the inner west.”

The council will meet on Tuesday to decide if the plan is accepted, rejected or amended.

But a council officer agenda to be presented to councillors calls for the proposal to be rejected, despite a council study finding between one and two dogs were walked in the park per hour.

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It calls for a community advisory panel to be formed “to review the proposal for the establishment of a youth academy and its community benefits and to consider the future master planning options for Footscray Park.”

Mr Ashton said his backing was more than just about crime prevention.

“It provides educational opportunities through VCAL and the tertiary side of things and that could be an important pathway for people,’’ he said.

Victory chief executive Trent Jacobs said the club had a community focus and wanted to enhance the precinct for generations to come.

“Not only are we looking to create a community hub — we also want to bring to life an extremely underused asset,’’ he said.

The Academy proposal is focused on women’s and junior participation with W-League, Youth League and National Premier Leagues teams.

Victory would sign a peppercorn 21 year lease and be responsible for maintenance of the site.

The park is about 56,000m2 in size, of which 52,000m2 would continue to be accessible to the community with the 4,000m2 pavilion available for hire.

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