SPORTS facilities have been the flavour of this week’s election promises, as the state Labor government pledged over $7 million in funding across two different local grounds.
Roy Dore Reserve in Carrum is set to receive $800,000 in already budgeted funding to put towards a new female friendly pavilion complete with appropriate facilities, with an extra $3.2 million to kick in under a re-elected Labor government.
The total of $4 million is also expected to be used for a new tennis pavilion, new lights, new scoreboards, and an upgrade of fencing.
Roy Dore Reserve is currently used by nearly 1500 people, and is home to local clubs including the Carrum Cricket Club, the Carrum Patterson Lakes Football Netball Club, and the Melbourne Thunder Touch Rugby side.
“Whether it’s watching the mighty Carrum Patterson Lakes’ Lions or a kick to kick on the weekend, I know how much this upgrade will mean to local families. Community sports is all about bringing people together. With this investment, we’ll help make Carrum’s sporting club, and local community, stronger than ever,” said Carrum MP Sonya Kilkenny.
The Aspendale Stingrays Soccer Club could also receive funding after the November election, with the state Labor government also promising $4.5 million to help them move to a new home ground.
The new ground would be based at Kerr Crescent Reserve in Aspendale Gardens.
There are currently over 600 junior members of the soccer club, which plays across four different sites.
Premier Daniel Andrews visited the club, and said “this new home ground will mean the next generation of Stingrays’ stars will have the facilities they deserve, including the growing number of girls joining the club.”
Mordialloc MP Tim Richardson said “more and more local kids are playing soccer and with this investment, Labor will make sure the Aspendale Stingrays have the first-class home ground they deserve.”
“We said we’d provide new lighting to give the Stingrays more playing hours each week and we have, but there’s more to do and only Labor will deliver the new home ground this great local club deserves.”
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 3 October 2018