By Sumeyya Ilanbey
A major redevelopment of the Ballan Recreation Reserve has been promised by the Labor Party if it wins next month’s state election.
Treasurer Tim Pallas visited the reserve last week to announce funding of $3 million for the project, which will include a new pavilion, oval extension and creation of a playing space large enough for two soccer fields.
Ballan Recreation Reserve chairman Billy Smith said the existing pavilion was past its use-by-date and in desperate need of a re-build.
“We’ve been on about these upgrades for six or seven years,” he said. “This facility gets used almost seven days a week … by cricket, football, netball, tennis, bowling, karate clubs, as well as the Lions … we’ve got a lot of user groups.
“The playing condition of the oval is good, but the building is below par. We’re in a building that’s almost 50 years old.”
The new pavilion will include female-friendly changerooms and a function space big enough to accomodate 200 people. The existing pavilion is been described as being “below an acceptable standard” in Moorabool council’s masterplan for the site.
Mr Pallas said community sport was about “community spirit” and the Labor Party’s election commitment was focused on making Ballan’s sports clubs and community stronger.
“By bringing the oval up to the size required for senior footy, we’ll make sure Ballan’s local clubs keep kicking goals,” Mr Pallas said. “We know there’s a strong increase in people moving to the area and also female participating in sport, so we need to have much more substantial investment by the state for these areas.”
The Coalition last month promised $1 million towards upgrades at the reserve, including extending the football oval and redeveloping the netball and tennis courts.
The Liberal candidate for Buninyong, Andrew Kilmartin, said Ballan had made a “huge contribution” to participation in community sport and it was “only fair” it received support.
