Jennifer Pittorino
Members of the Friends of McIvor Reserve have called on Maribyrnong council to redirect more than $300,000 set aside for a stadium at the reserve.
Council’s proposed 2024-25 budget includes $321,000 for the stadium, which FOMR is opposed to fearing it would impact the available open green space.
The stadium is part of the council’s McIvor Reserve Master Plan, which was adopted in March 2023.
FOMR spokesperson Miles Parnall-Gilbert made the submission to council, calling for it to protect the reserve’s open green space, and prevent the construction of the planned six-court indoor stadium.
“We want to encourage council not to waste $321,000 of ratepayers’ funds,“ he said.
Mr Parnall-Gilbert asked council to use the funds for practical amenities that are “required now“ such as pedestrian lighting, public toilets, tree plantings, dog park upgrades, an outdoor highball court or an expansion of the playground.
“We are waiting for suitable pedestrian lighting which will help residents feel safe and reduce the risk of being harmed,” he said.
“The enclosed dog park is a regionally significant asset that attracts many visitors from outside our city because of what it offers visitors, yet at night it’s pitch black.”
Given the amount of visitors to the park for both sporting and recreational needs, Mr Parnall-Gilbert considers these upgrades to be a requirement.
“Kids love the space, but it could be improved,” he said.
“Members of McIvor Reserve whose kids play basketball, but are against building a stadium on green space, have expressed that they would still benefit locally from a basic open-air, free court that could be used for practise.”
Mr Parnall-Gilbert and FOMR have been following the allocation of funding to McIvor Reserve since 2022, and have made several submissions to council.
“There have been many submissions from residents regarding improvements and upkeep at McIvor Reserve for many years,” he said.
“We have contributed the best ideas we have in the hope that council will use that information to make sensible decisions regarding funding those ideas.
“My submission for the budget is to help keep this issue at the forefront of voter’s minds.”
Maribyrnong council said it could not comment on the proposal until the budget is presented at its June meeting.
