FRANKSTON Council has given St Kilda Football Club in-principle support for its plans at Belvedere Reserve.
St Kilda moved into the Seaford ground in 2010, signing a lease which expired in 2059. Despite that, St Kilda had relocated its training facilities to Moorabbin by 2018.
St Kilda FC presented a new proposal for the precinct to council in December. Council has agreed to offer in-principle support to the plan, and will put $2.6 million of ratepayer funding into it.
The full proposal for the Belvedere Precinct was designated as confidential by Frankston Council.
St Kilda Football Club CEO Matt Finnis said the club was “thrilled that our shared vision to create a health and wellbeing hub which delivers services, training and facilities for the Frankston community has been supported by council.”
“We’ve been working closely with Frankston City Council for a long time now to reimagine how this unique facility can be refocused to deliver the greatest benefit to the community,” Mr Finnis said.
“Our club continues to have a deep affinity with the area and we’re excited to be playing a leadership role in bring together a host of like-minded organisations to create a new community asset at a time when it’s never been needed more.”
Council CEO Phil Cantillon said “our hope is that as well as being used by community groups, council and the club, the precinct will also be occupied by a tertiary health education provider, as well as health care, aged care and disability professionals and a social enterprise café. We will keep the community updated as sub-tenants are confirmed.”
Frankston mayor Kris Bolam said recent discussions between council and St Kilda FC had been “productive”.
“A design is due to come back to council for final sign off in August and we expect to be in a position to formalise agreements with the club and other parties, to support the activation, at that time,” he said.
