By Benjamin Millar
A long-awaited upgrade to the Footscray Hockey Centre has been locked in after Maribyrnong council endorsed a $1.25 million refurbishment.
The 600-player Footscray Hockey Club (FHC) – the largest sporting club in Maribyrnong – has outgrown its current headquarters at McIvor Reserve in Yarraville.
Plans have been drawn up to improve accessibility and storage and expand amenities for the growing number of junior and women’s teams.
The council allocated $440,000 in the 2016-17 budget for initial works and has secured $100,000 through a Sport and Recreation Victoria grant for more female change facilities.
The FHC has committed a further $80,000 to the project.
A surveyor report found completing the upgrade will cost an estimated $1.254 million, more than $300,000 above the most recently approved project budget of $920,000.
Councillor Simon Crawford moved a motion in support of the project, seconded by councillor Martin Zakharov.
“It’s important to do what we can to support the sporting community, it’s really good to see that we have a really good representation of our community in this club,” Cr Crawford said.
“The more we can be doing to improve the quality of these facilities the better.”
Cr Zakharov said one of the most important aspects of sporting activity is its community value.
“Footscray Hockey Club have done a large amount over the years with limited funds,” he said.
“Here’s a group that manage to do so much for the community on a voluntary basis. Our support for them is going to be great for the community.”
Councillor Sarah Carter praised the club’s contribution to the community and said she was “impressed by the sophistication of this club” and its ability to fill more than 400 volunteer positions every year.
Mayor Catherine Cumming said the club was long overdue for major works.
