Labor matches $5m pledge for Ocean Grove sports hub

THE first stage of the masterplan for Devlins Road Reserve in Ocean Grove will get a $5 million kickstart regardless of which party forms government next month, after the Albanese Labor government pledged to match an election promise made by the Coalition.

On Tuesday this week, Infrastructure Minister Catherine King and Corangamite Labor federal member Libby Coker visited Shell Road Reserve, which the Ocean Grove Soccer Club shares with the Ocean Grove football and cricket clubs, to make the announcement.

The funds will be used to support the relocation of the Surfside Waves Soccer Club to Devlins Road Recreation Reserve, creating a permanent home for junior soccer in the region, and install new soccer pitches and a pavilion at the site.

“A re-elected Albanese Labor government will commit the $5 million that is needed to decant soccer from [Shell Road Reserve] to make Devlins Road Rec Reserve a reality, so that you can actually build the new pitches and the new pavilion there,” Ms King said.

“It then allows here [Shell Road Reserve], football and netball to then take over that area that’s decanted from soccer.

Local soccer and football players joined Ms King and Ms Coker to hear the funding announcement, which will help to create a new home for junior soccer in the region.

“The Geelong city council have brought this project to us. There’s still a little bit of work to be done to get some additional funding to make that happen, but that will be a matter for Geelong council to work together with us on.”

The announcement follows Liberal candidate for Corangamite Darcy Dunstan’s $5 million pledge in late March and calls from the city earlier this month for $10 million in funding and bipartisan support to deliver the planned upgrades.

Ms Coker said the announcement was about making sure the local sporting community had access to facilities that are “fit-for purpose” and can continue to grow alongside the community.

“Here’s to a new home [for soccer] … and we will work very hard to make sure it’s the best it can be,” she said.

Ocean Grove Soccer Club president Harry Hanley welcomed the announcement, calling it a “great initiative” that would benefit the whole community.