Moorabool council will assess the cost of installing portable facilities at Bacchus Marsh Racecourse and Recreation Reserve (BMRRR)
Upgrades to ovals number two and three have been completed in recent years, with both of those grounds now operational.
Councillor Rod Ward said while a fantastic job has been done to get the reserve operational, the new pavilion isn’t set to be completed until 2027 at the earliest..
With that in mind, he raised a notice of motion asking for the costs to install a temporary pavilion to allow better use of the facilities.
“I know in our draft rec and leisure strategy that priority number three is looking at ways to increase participation and activation, community spaces,” he said.
“This community notice of motion is basically requesting an investigation into what the cost would be involved to put out portable change facilities that could be used to activate ovals two and three, particularly three until such time as a permanent pavilion is built.”
There is some cricket use on the new ovals, while there has also been some footy training at the ground.
A report to the August 6 council meeting said the design of the new pavilion was still to be finalised.
The report said Bacchus Marsh football netball and cricket clubs could benefit from temporary facilities.
“In 2025 the BMFNC [Bacchus Marsh Football Netball Club] has fielded 19 football sides and also operates a large and rapidly growing Auskick program,” the report said.
“With 33 football and netball sides, the club has required regular use of the racecourse oval reserve oval three for training for football and netball, and if temporary portable facilities were available, it would also be used for competition use.
“The BMFNC has expressed to council their concerns over the lack of a safe, secure and user friendly change rooms at the BMRRR oval for training.
“The provision of two portable change rooms for the 2025-26 season will also allow the BMCC [Bacchus Marsh Cricket Club] to play home games on turf wickets at oval three at the BMRRR, and will also allow the BMFNC footballers and netballers to enjoy safe facilities for training during the 2026 season and to also utilise the facility for competition across the 2026 winter season.”
