Club recovers after oval vandalised

A COMMUNITY football oval is recovering after hoons left a trail of tire marks on the playing surface.

Local junior football and netball players arrived to use the Woady Yaloak Recreation Reserve in Smythesdale at the start of April to find the destruction.

Adam Liversage, president of the facility and the Woady Warriors said it was disappointing to see.

“As far as we’re aware, cars drove onto the football oval and made a bit of a mess which is really unfortunate,” he said.

“Our local member did a police report but unfortunately there’s no updates as of yet as to who did it.

“It was really disappointing because there was a practice match on last Saturday so for those sporting groups to turn up and see the damage was really upsetting.”

Although the damage didn’t stop the match and the Golden Plains Shire was quick to fix the playing surface, Mr Liversage said it was still a saddening event.

“I think it’s really important to realise it is a local community facility and the really sad thing is we have a lot of juniors access that and it’s disappointing that someone would do this as the kids loose,” he said.

Golden Plains Shire’s director of infrastructure and environment Phil Josipovic said a contractor was engaged to repair the damage.

“The damaged areas will receive a light top dress, and we expect the surface to bounce back within a week or two,” he said.

“Council will also install posts and an emergency gate to replace damaged chains,” he said.

“While the damage is minor in this instance, council is disappointed someone would deliberately inflict damage on an important community asset, which has now diverted community resources into repairing the surface and installing additional infrastructure.”