By NICOLE VALICEK
THE Western Metropolitan Region MP Bernie Finn has made an urgent request to Sports Minister Hugh Delahunty to join him on a tour of the W.L.J. Crofts Reserve.
Last week Mr Finn told Parliament the ground and its facilities, located at Altona North, was “out-dated” and “desperately in need of a major upgrade”.
“They are dilapidated and in desperate need of an update. In fact they are in desperate need of a major upgrade,” Mr Finn said.
The reserve is the home of the Western Jets Football Club in the TAC Cup, as well as the Williamstown Superules Football Club and also the Altona North Cricket Club.
The Williamstown Football Club in the Victorian Football League also uses it for limited training.
Mr Finn has asked the minister to accompany him on a visit “as soon as humanly possible” so he can see what the community is dealing with.
In response to his request Mr Delahunty said he “looked forward to visiting the venue with Bernie in the near future” and encouraged the community to work with Hobson’s Bay council to “make it a facility priority for the area”.
Mr Finn said he supported a proposal to build new unisex umpire change rooms and to expand the unisex change rooms.
The proposal also included a new gymnasium and public toilets as there are no external toilets at the ground.
“One cannot begin to imagine how appalling that must be.”
A new scoreboard will be built, as well as coach’s boxes, sealed car parks and an expanded community room.
Mr Finn said the proposal is about maximising use and enhancing the community asset at the reserve.
