By Tyler Wright
$25,000 from Yarra Ranges Council’s capital development grant program has been welcomed by Monbulk Recreation Reserve Development Group, with the funds being used for new netball courts and cricket nets, storage and alfresco finishing touches.
The $70,380 project has also been partially funded by the state government and the Monbulk Recreation Reserve Development Group.
Monbulk Recreation Reserve Development Group president Paul Utting, who represents the Monbulk Cricket Club, Monbulk Junior Football Club and the Monbulk Football Netball Club, said netballers will have access to covered shelters to avoid getting “saturated” on match days.
“[Players are] all waiting for it. They keep asking me, ‘when are these things going to happen?” Mr Utting said.
“We’ve had the quotes and a lot of it’s in place. But I’ll be very excited when I when I get the formal email and forward that through to the club presidents and then they dish that out to their members.”
Monbulk Recreation Reserve Development Group was one of 11 local clubs to receive funding for projects to benefit the community, including Ferny Creek Tennis Club and Hilltop Recreation Association.
In a Yarra Ranges Council meeting on Tuesday 27 September, where the capital development grant program recipients were announced, Ryrie ward councillor Fiona McAllister said unlike other programs, this round was focused on infrastructure.
“They are a real mix, from BMX, to bowls…but I think the thing that always stands out to me, is now more than ever, a lot of our community groups – which are fuelled by volunteers – are struggling,” Cr McAllister said.
“They are doing it hard…in terms of getting volunteers, resilience is low, people are really worn out, and also doing it hard in terms of money.
A huge thank-you goes out to probably hundreds, if not thousands, of volunteers that keep those 11 clubs alive and all the others across Yarra Ranges.”
Streeton Ward councillor Andrew Fullagar seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously.
Mr Utting said Monbulk Recreation Reserve subcommittees have been fortunate to secure $11 million since their establishment in 2010, funding various projects.
“This one will really help us just finish those final little things that the big projects tend to miss,” he said.
Works are set to be completed with the next two to three months.
