By Michael Sinclair
INSTALLATION of new security alarms and surveillance equipment will help prevent further damage to the Deer Park football clubrooms after a recent spate of break-ins and vandalism.
The clubrooms, located at the Deer Park Sports Oval in Ballarat Rd, are used by both football and cricket clubs members and have long been a target for vandals.
The financially-stricken club was last week granted funding to improve lighting and install security alarms in the 74-year-old council-owned building.
It follows a break-in a fortnight ago that cleared the club’s bar fridges of its stock.
“The place is that old, some of the screens on the windows you can just about pull them out of the concrete on their own,” club president Les Setterfield told Star last week.
“We had a sign up out the front of the rooms, which blew down and they (the thieves) took a piece of metal that was in it between the brickwork and one of the security grills and they just bent it.
“They then smashed the window, kicked the front out of the bar and then just emptied out the fridge.”
The stock was valued at more than $500. Repairing damaged windows and cleaning up after vandalism is a constant occurrence.
But at Brimbank Council’s ordinary meeting last week, councillors approved a move to have the clubrooms security system upgraded urgently.
“If you were to go out there at night, the building cannot be seen from the road it’s so dark and it’s on Ballarat Rd,” Cr Ken Capar said.
“Deer Park is a struggling club and it’s trying to build up its resources so it is important that we improve its security as a matter of urgency.”
New outdoor and indoor lighting will be installed, while sensor alarms and improved security panels over the clubs doors and windows will also be part of the upgrade in the next few weeks.
