Growth puts pressure on Portarlington as master plan awaits completion

A LOT has changed at Portarlington Recreation Reserve since its master plan was launched in 2020, but the Portarlington Football Netball Club says key projects remain unfinished.

Led by special projects chair and former club president Steve Cogger, the club is pushing for improved facilities to support its growing junior base and address safety concerns.

The top priority is the development of two netball training and warm-up courts.

Currently, netballers use tennis courts or the busy car park to warm up, with the club calling for the existing decommissioned courts to be resurfaced, line-marked and lit.

The $160,000 project is one of five major upgrades the club is seeking.

“It’s urgent and it’s a quick fix,” Cogger said.

“Resurfacing doesn’t take a long time, marking doesn’t take a long time, getting the lights in place, we’ve got local providers who can handle that for us, so that’s a quick fix and it enables our forever growing netball department to have suitable training and warm-up facilities.”

Cogger said the club also hoped to draw on the skills and resources of its members to help reduce project costs when applying for funding.

He said the club was also waiting on $1.1m in funding promised by the City of Greater Geelong when the master plan was adopted.

Cogger said projects including the netball courts and extending the second oval to AFL and Cricket Victoria standards could have already been completed if the funding had not been withdrawn.

“With withdrawing the funding came the offer that it would be returned as soon as it could, and that was four years ago,” he said.

“Even our third priority, which is an extension to our kitchen and catering area, that would have been almost achieved as well.

“We don’t feel left out, but we don’t feel that we’ve achieved the full aim of the master plan that was in full swing.”

Member for Bellarine Alison Marchant called on the council to reinstate the funding.

“Once again, we call on the City of Greater Geelong to show its commitment to the Portarlington community by pursuing every available opportunity to complete the master plan,” she said.

“It is disappointing that the council has not taken the opportunity to pursue available grant funding for sporting facilities, and I will continue advocating to ensure the Portarlington Football Netball Club and reserve uses gets the support it deserves.”

Cogger said the club will continue applying for council and government grants, with hopes of securing support through the coming state election.

Acknowledging many clubs face similar challenges, he said Portarlington is not asking for more than required, but for facilities that match those available to clubs of a similar size.

The Portarlington Recreation Reserve master plan expires in 2030.