By Christine de Kock
MARIBYRNONG City Council will give $1 million towards the upgrade of Whitten Oval.
The council will also dismiss the Western Bulldogs’ $750,000 mortgage debenture.
And, depending on the outcome of a community consultation, the council is likely to lease additional land to the football club for the development of a children’s centre.
In addition, the council will waive the $18,000 hoarding permit fee, a fee charged for piling soil and building material on public land.
Mayor Janet Rice said at last Tuesday’s council meeting the $1 million would be factored over the next three years into the capital works budget.
The money will go towards landscaping the Whitten Oval grounds.
“It’s important that our financial contribution to the redevelopment has a direct community benefit, so we’ll be creating accessible, quality open space areas around the oval,” she said.
Cr Rice also welcomed the potential children’s hub, which will include a 105-place childcare centre, that will be run by a non-profit organisation.
“This is great news for our city, which still has a waiting list of 687 children needing long day care,” she said.
Councillor Michael Clarke said he supported the partnership between the Western Bulldogs and council.
But he emphasised that the $1 million would be provided by council only on the “satisfactory completion of the redevelopment of Whitten Oval”.
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“It is important that what is built is in keeping with the vision for our community,” Cr Clarke said.
He told Star he was concerned the Western Bulldogs had raised only $15.5 million, and might not be able to complete the $19.5 million project.
However, Western Bulldogs chief executive Campbell Rose said the project would not be scaled back, and that club’s Forever Foundation was likely to raise more than $19.5 million.
He said there was also the possibility of the club approaching trusts or philanthropic organisations for funds.
“But under no way would there be a likelihood of our project being diminished or redesigned,” Mr Rose said.
“We might have to stage some parts of it, and stagger it over a couple of years, or we might get 80 per cent of it done and then stage a part to fit it within our means at the time.”
He said the club would also show the upgrade designs to other councils in the area and ask for their support.
The upgrade will include state-of-the-art training facilities, with facilities for the Victorian Women’s Football League and the Western Region Football League.
Councillor Catherine Cumming said it was important to note the mortgage debenture was virtually a “retainer to hold them from leaving”.
“In 1997 there was an outstanding debt that the Bulldogs had with the council,” she said.
“It was due to the building of the John Jent stand. It was in the day of the City of Footscray, and at that time we knew we wouldn’t be getting that money back.
“So, we created a debenture, which virtually stated that if they were to leave the municipality they would owe us $750,000 .”
Councillors Rice, Clarke and Cumming were nominated to sit on a committee formed to hear community submissions regarding the proposed children’s centre.
