Portarlington Recreation Reserve gets scoreboard boost

THE first stage of the $3.75 million redevelopment of the Portarlington Recreation Reserve has been completed, delivering new electronic scoreboards for the football ground and netball courts.

Delivered by the City of Greater Geelong, the scoreboards were funded by the federal government as part of its $600,000 commitment to support infrastructure upgrades at the reserve to ensure it is able to meet the needs of the community into the future.

The state government has also committed $3.15 million to the redevelopment project.

Corangamite federal member Libby Coker said the redevelopment of the recreation reserve would be a gamechanger for Portarlington, and emphasised the important role sporting clubs play in bringing communities together. “What an amazing outcome for local sports clubs and the community,” she said.

“The Portarlington FNC is a foundation club in the Bellarine Football Netball League, and with more and more young people moving into the area, well-resourced sporting facilities become more and more important.

“I’d like to thank the club and the community for their ongoing advocacy to secure this much-needed upgrade, and I look forward to continuing our work together as we progress the next stages of the project.”

Geelong mayor Trent Sullivan thanked the federal and Victorian governments for their support of improvements at the reserve.

“Portarlington Recreation Reserve is such a focal point of the local community and the upgrades being made will help keep it that way into the future,” he said.

“The new scoreboard is fantastic, and we’re excited by what’s to come.”

As part of the Portarlington Recreation Reserve’s redevelopment, detailed designs to update the site’s main pavilion change room has also been completed and will soon go to tender.

Meanwhile, design work on the remaining upgrades planned for the reserve, including the entry and car park, is ongoing, with construction expected to take place over summer.