By MELISSA MEEHAN
Little athletes stopped in their tracks over…
DEEP puddles and poor drainage means Cockatoo’s little athletes can’t use the whole track in the early months of their season.
As winter closes and the warmer months begin, the Mountain Road Recreation Reserve athletics track stays soggy for months, leaving the Cockatoo Little Athletics Club to run a reduced schedule.
Ground and maintenance man at the club Russell Butler said the club struggled each year to run their full program in the early months of the season.
“It’s a problem that can’t be solved cheaply,” Mr Butler said.
“That’s why we’re increasing our fund-raising target this year.”
Mr Butler said the club needed to raise a minimum $60,000 this year to get the works started, as the council has agreed to match what they raise, dollar for dollar.
“We’ve also spoken to candidates Brad Battin and Collin Ross,” he said.
“We’re after all the help we can get – we’re trying everything,” he said.
The season starts on 11 October, and the kids won’t be able to run the 200 metre bend until after Christmas.
“That’s why they have joined the club, these kids love to run,” he said.
Cardinia Shire Council’s Recreation Development co-ordinator Mark Stahel said the council had had several discussions with the Cockatoo Little Athletics Club regarding the track and field surface at the reserve as well as drainage requirements for the athletics track.
“Council will assist the club to prepare a submission for funding the works through council’s 2015-16 Community Capital Works Program,” Mr Stahel said.
“This program provides dollar for dollar funding for successful projects up to a total project cost of $70,000.
“If successful, drainage works could start in July 2015.”
Mr Stahel said there were a number of other sporting grounds in the shire which required works to improve conditions and any upgrade to the surface to the athletics track at Mountain Road Recreation Reserve would need to be prioritised against all other projects.
“The athletics facilities at Mountain Road Recreation Reserve are primarily utilised during the summer season,” he said.
