A draft master plan to be prepared for Dennis Reserve in Williamstown will be based on the inclusion of four tennis courts.
The future use of the reserve has been a contentious issue since a decommissioned bowling green became available six years ago.
As reported by Star Weekly, the council last month endorsed a tennis needs report that identified the construction of two new courts at Williamstown Central Tennis Club (Dennis Reserve) as a short-term priority.
Members of the Dennis Reserve Master Planning group, convened by the council, have expressed varying opinions on the potential use of the site. While seven members support the addition of two new courts, four members are in favour of conversion of the bowling green to open space.
Hobsons Bay councillors last week voted 5-2 to endorse a concept plan for additional tennis courts, which will form the basis for a more detailed plan.
Cr Peter Hemphill told last week’s council meeting that the council had gone through an “exhaustive process” to come up with a plan including four courts, which is known as “Option 4”.
“I think one of the misnomers that’s been floated around is that if we go with what’s being proposed here, Option 4, is that there would be a loss of open space,” he said.
“Really, there is no loss of open space because that space has always been a sports facility for close on 100 years. It was used for the ladies bowls for nearly a century until they unfortunately folded, and it’s still fenced off and it hasn’t been used for open space.”
Cr Jonathon Marsden and Cr Tony Briffa voted against the plan for additional courts at Dennis Reserve.
“This site is contested, every square metre,” Cr Marsden said.
“Every encroachment on open space by the tennis club is a loss of open space for the community and there is a lack of open space in central and north Williamstown. It is an open space desert.”
When the draft master plan is completed, it will be placed on public exhibition for comment.
