Plan is a blow for club

By Dion Teasdale
MEMBERS of the Healesville Football Netball Club (HFNC) say they are devastated by the Shire of Yarra Ranges’s decision to redevelop the Don Road Sporting Complex.
Greg Hay, the club’s president, said members were angry and disappointed by the shire’s plans to create two soccer pitches and a new cricket pitch on the second football oval at the reserve.
In September the shire announced it would oversee a $320,000 upgrade at the complex and create a permanent base for the Healesville Soccer Club, ending the club’s six year search for a home ground.
“We are devastated because we see this as a short term Band-Aid approach to sport and recreation facilities in Healesville,” Mr Hay said.
Mr Hay said the shire’s decision to use the second oval to house the soccer club would mean his club could never reach its full potential.
“Access now to only one football oval will disqualify leagues from using the complex for sporting carnivals and we will never be a regional sports centre,” he said.
Mr Hay said the club welcomed the soccer club to Don Road but believed it should be housed on the third oval which was previously earmarked to become a soccer pitch.
“This way the long term vision for the Don Road Sporting Complex (to become a regional sports facility) can be achieved and both football and soccer can use the number two oval for training and sporting carnivals,” he said.
Mr Hay said HFNC’s members, players and supporters believed the shire had disregarded their wishes and failed to keep them involved in the decision-making process.
“This decision by council is a major threat and downsize for Aussie rules football in Healesville and surrounds,” he said.
James Martin, the shire’s manager of community relations, said he was surprised by Mr Hay’s comments.
“The decision to upgrade oval number two to cater for soccer and install lights on oval number one for the football club is a positive outcome for all clubs involved,” he said.
“The community will benefit from the construction of one full-sized soccer pitch and a smaller training pitch to cater for the growth in soccer, improved cricket facilities, including a new pitch for the cricket club, and lighting for both ovals.”
Mr Martin said housing the soccer club on the third oval would cost up to $400,000 more and would not have provided benefits to the cricket club.
“With the exception of the AFL, very few clubs have the luxury of having sole use of two ovals,” he said. “The vast majority of clubs in the Yarra Ranges have only one ground and many of these host up to eight matches a weekend. The Don Road ground only host three matches a weekend.”
Cr Jeanette McRae said she was committed to working with HFNC to secure funding for football and netball infrastructure improvements at Don Road in the future.