Drysdale clubs look to pollies to fund sporting precinct

DRYSDALE sporting clubs will lobby politicians contesting the November state election in a bid to fund the next stage of their local sporting precinct.

The move comes after the City of Greater Geelong refused to allocate funding in its 2018-19 budget towards
Stage 2 of the Drysdale Sporting Precinct.

Ross Deeath from Drysdale Football Club and Paul Rawson from Drysdale Soccer Club made a budget submission
to the council in May, asking for $50,000 to amend the Drysdale Sporting Precinct Master Plan, in line with community expectations and the changes to the original plan.

The submission was also supported by letters from AFL Barwon, Victorian Football Federation, St Thomas Primary,
St Ignatius College, Bellarine Secondary College, Drysdale Netball Club and Drysdale Cricket Club.

“While the Drysdale clubs and community are very appreciative of council and the state’s support for the new precinct, we are concerned that recreation infrastructure has not caught up, let alone provided for extensive population growth in the region,” Mr Deeath said. “We also note that the plans for the Drysdale Bypass now require a greater than anticipated land take from the sporting precinct, which will necessitate significant alterations to the plan.”

Back in February, the council approved the sale of 38,280sqm of land at 702 Grubb Road – part of a larger
parcel accommodating the Drysdale Sporting Precinct – to VicRoads for a cost of $1,835,000.

Mr Deeath said the council “quietly” sold off the land, and that he was personally disappointed that some money from the sale was not put towards the new plans – as the clubs were only seeking three per cent of the sale price.

However, the council has stated that much of the land sold was already
occupied by a major drainage basin, which would be retained as part of the project, and that the sale of the land would not compromise the implementation of the Drysdale Sporting Precinct plan.

The council estimated that due to the recent changes in the precinct, including the sale of some land and the finalisation of plans for the Drysdale bypass, the Master Plan would require review, and
likely, revision at a cost of $75,000 for design consultants.

Mr Deeath said the lead up time for facility development was long, with Stage 1 having taken nine years to deliver, and that he hoped the facilities required in Stage 2 could be delivered in a more timely manner.

“Our clubs are also aware of the forthcoming state election and the opportunity this provides to seek state
funding to progress our collective desire to deliver Stage 2,” he said.

“Lisa Neville was responsible for the initial funding for this project and I guess we will now have to look to her to kickstart Stage 2, given council won’t list it as a priority.”