By PETER DOUGLAS
THE new 150-seat grandstand being constructed at Morrison Reserve is just a shadow of the original vision, according to former Yarra Ranges mayor Tim Heenan.
After Billanook Ward councillor Maria McCarthy last week officially launched the construction stage for the Mount Evelyn development, Mr Heenan said he felt compelled to express his disappointment over what he believed was a missed opportunity.
Mr Heenan, who was ousted from council in 2012, said the council should have delivered the project quicker and on a grander scale.
“I’ve tried to remain tight-lipped about what’s going on, and let the council go about its business, but I had to speak on this issue,” he said.
“When I left the council, there was substantial money left aside for this project.
“The seating should be three to four times more than 150 seats.”
Mr Heenan’s biggest concern, however, was with the proposed shade facilities at the site, which is home to the Yarra Ranges Athletics club and regularly hosts school sports carnivals.
“One big square of shade sail (over the stadium) just doesn’t cut it,” he said.
“Australia has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world, so we need to put more dollars towards providing shade.
“We’ve got a high obesity rate and need to encourage sports participation in a safe environment.”
In reply, Cr McCarthy said the council had achieved more than what was originally planned, saying the design had increased to facilitate wheelchair access for the stadium.
“What we have now is a facility that is compliant for national-level events,” Cr McCarthy said.
“We’ve worked closely with Yarra Ranges Athletics and the committee of management, and I believe they’re really happy with the outcome.”
Cr McCarthy acknowledged the project could have been delivered quicker, saying there were hold-ups.
She said the project always had the support of the council.
“Initially, there was only a $98,000 budget, but we needed a wheelchair-accessible grandstand so we realised that budget wasn’t going to cut it,” Cr McCarthy said.
“The council has supported this project and helped to come up with additional funding.”
Yarra Ranges Council has committed $300,000 to the project through its Recreation and Open Space Strategy.
Yarra Ranges Athletics coach Brendan Dixon said last week the new grandstand would allow the club to grow further, as well as facilitate greater participation from regional schools.
However, Mr Heenan believed a disservice had been done to the community, saying the site could one day become the pre-eminent sports precinct in the region.
“There was always negativity among council over this project, since the beginning,” he said.
“With the parking facilities available, it should be much more.”
Mr Heenan believes politics may be at play, given 2016 is in an election year.
“It’s great to announce these things and say ‘this is great’, but it’s also easy to forget what has gone before,” he said.
Cr McCarthy wouldn’t be drawn into those comments.
Cr McCarthy also added there was no reason the council couldn’t help further develop the site in the future, if appropriate funding streams became available.
The following are edited social media posts regarding the issue, from the Mail’s Facebook page (edited for style and grammar):
Tim Heenan:
Look around everybody, things are getting done because there’s an election later this year?
FACT: When I was on council and led the fight to have this regional athletics facility built, more than enough money was put into budget after budget to have seating ‘and’ shade sails (more than is proposed). Yarra Ranges Council denied this for three long years and caused anxiety for the Yarra Ranges Athletics club. This and more should have been done three years ago! 150 seats is a joke. It’s nowhere near enough, but I’m positive Council knows that. I’m sorry, but Maria McCarthy ‘can’t’ take credit for this. This is the truth and ‘I hope’ this post won’t be taken down.
Sir Francis Mayson Smith:
Would you be kind enough to comment on the whole factual story and cease to be so selective in your reporting please? How much was promised for this facility initially? What balance of monies was not used after the synthetic track was laid out? What was the residual balance after this initial stage? Why weren’t the original grants for this facility exhausted at the time? Was the original design for a larger pavilion/grandstand? If so, where did the money go? What has Cr McCarthy’s contribution really been?
Further to these questions, many people are justifiably wondering why Mount Evelyn is being treated as the ‘Cinderella’ township in this Shire due to its lack of capital infrastructure in recent years. We have a struggling Community House. We have nothing to match the community hubs which Monbulk, Kilsyth, Mooroolbark etc. have been invested with.
