FRANKSTON Council’s attempts to finance the rehoming of the Frankston Tennis Club at a redeveloped Centenary Park look to be coming up short, with no commitments for funding being made at state or federal level.
The 127-year-old tennis club currently play on land next to Frankston Hospital. Peninsula Health bought out their lease for $3 million in 2017 to plan for future expansion of the hospital.
Council have been advocating for funding into Centenary Park to rehome the club, but their cries have so far fallen on deaf ears. Council have committed $11 million to the project and are asking for matching commitments of $8.05 million each from the state and federal governments.
The mayor Michael O’Reilly said “it is extremely frustrating and disappointing that despite these continued joint efforts, the federal and Victorian governments appear to be turning their back on the urgent need to find a new home for the Frankston Tennis Club to make way for the much needed $562 million upgrade to Frankston Hospital.”
“Council has worked tirelessly alongside tennis and gymnastics clubs in advocating to federal and Victorian politicians and candidates from both major sides of politics in order to secure the vital funds needed to deliver a dedicated regional tennis and gymnastics facility at Centenary Park as a priority,” he said.
“Council has on many occasions successfully partnered with federal and Victorian governments to deliver vital infrastructure projects that benefit our community. For this reason we are confident that a regional tennis and gymnastics facility can be achieved through a joint funding partnership.
“I call on Chris Crewther and Peta Murphy to support their community by urgently committing the $8.05 million contribution required by them ahead of the federal election. Additionally, I urge the Victorian government to fund an equal contribution of $8.05 million, a mere 1.5 per cent of the $562 million hospital expansion project.”
Cr O’Reilly said the expensive Centenary Park redevelopment is required to help facilitate the rise in women playing sports. The revamped centre would also home gymnastics facilities.
“Frankston City sporting community deserves a regional facility with the ability to host elite tournaments and to further boost female participation in sport,” he said.
If no party fronts up cash for the project, Cr O’Reilly said council would “investigate alternative options”.
“Although council will investigate alternative options should federal and Victorian governments fail to deliver the $8.05 million required for the proposed Centenary Park facility, we believe the Frankston City community and broader region deserve better than a back-up plan. That is why we’ve committed $11 million of our own funding towards delivering this vital regional infrastructure project,” he said.
“Should funding requirements be met, works will commence immediately in a sequenced rollout to house Frankston Tennis Club merged with Frankston East Tennis Club at Centenary Park as a priority before the joint tennis and gymnastics facility is constructed housing Bayside Gymnastics Club.”
Frankston Tennis Club relocation subcommittee chairman John McGillivray said late last year that if the club was forced to move to Centenary Park without redevelopment taking place, it would be “basically the death of the Frankston Tennis Club.” (“Tennis club fears death without funds”, The Times, 5/11/18).
State Liberal candidate Michael Lamb campaigned on the issue and promised cash for the project in the lead up to the state election. Ultimately he and his party lost by a wide margin.
Frankston MP Paul Edbrooke told a candidate’s forum in November 2018 to “watch this space” in regards to securing funding, but has not followed that up with an announcement.
