Councillors have endorsed design plans featuring LED oval lighting and a new all-gender pavilion as part of a $1 million plus upgrade slated for Maldon’s Bill Woodfull Reserve.
After receiving community feedback, councillors at Tuesday evening’s Mount Alexander Shire Council meeting were tasked with deciding whether to endorse a recommended design for four – 24m light poles and a design for the much-mooted all gender pavilion.
“Throughout several rounds of community consultation officers have attempted to resolve design related concerns raised by residents,” Tarrengower ward councillor, Maldon’s Cr Steven Gardner said.
Cr Gardner noted a number of residents residing near the oval have ongoing objections, but also said support for the project was “overwhelming”.
“Some living near the oval would like the oval to be moved… but that’s not likely to happen. While some aren’t in favour, Overwhelmingly the community is,” Cr Gardner said.
Councillors heard that the cost of the all gender pavilion is $1.755 million with the project expected to be funded through a Sports and Recreation Victoria grant of $1 million for which the council has applied, and a council contribution of $755,287 – already an inclusion in the council’s 22-23 budget.
But two residents remain strongly opposed to the lighting upgrade project with one writing to local MPs and the state sports ministers’ office, resulting in SRV placing a hold on determining the outcome of the council’s funding application pending further community consultation.
Tuesday evening’s council meeting heard the council has been working for a number of years to come up with a design for a new all gender pavilion adjacent to the reserve’s netball court and had endorsed the project with the adoption of its recent 22-23 council budget.
Last December the council submitted an application to Sport and Recreation Victoria for new sports lighting at the oval and netball court.
The outcome of this funding application has yet to be determined as the funding body has advised of some concerns they have received from two local residents.
Council officers were asked to consider alternative designs for the oval lighting with the overall aim to reduce the height of the poles while further community consultation was also conducted.
At Tuesday evenings’ meeting councillors unanimously endorsed the officers’ recommendation for a lighting solution featuring four 24 metre high poles as well as the design for the all gender pavilion which will now be subject to state planning approval.
The estimated capital cost of replacing the oval’s existing four 19 metre high poles with four new 24 metre high poles featuring LED luminaries is $309,190.
“This is going to be a tremendous project for the community providing first class facilities,” Cr Tony Cordy said.