Newport and Williamstown junior football clubs are embroiled in a stoush over the use of Langshaw Reserve in Altona North.
Newport is accusing Williamstown of being greedy, but Williamstown says Newport is just being ‘‘sooky’’.
More than 550 people have signed a petition to Hobsons Bay council calling for the reserve to be used as the second ground for Newport Power Junior Football Club, which has 10 teams in the Western Region Football League.
Newport club president Stephen Martyn said Newport was the only club in Hobsons Bay with just one ground: Bryan Martyn Oval.
“Altona North, Newport, is our catchment area,” he said. “What they’re trying to do is get that facility because of the clubrooms; Williamstown say their clubrooms aren’t good enough.
“Williamstown’s been there for 70 years, the juniors, and all of a sudden they want to move into Altona North for the use of better facilities.
“We just don’t understand why they need a fourth ground compared to us having one.”
He said Williamstown was welcome to share facilities with Newport at Langshaw Reserve.
Williamstown Juniors Football Club president Michael Furlong said his club had been offered Langshaw Reserve by the council.
“Williamstown Juniors Football Club does need an upgrade to our facilities.
“What’s basically happened is that Newport Power have become very sooky and as result of that the league has intervened, and the league have then gone and said that because Willy’s classified as the super club, based on our numbers, they don’t want us to interfere with the catchment area of Newport Power.
“We were assured that we would be having Langshaw’s next year and we’ve factored that in to all our planning only to have recently been derailed by Newport.”
Furlong said all sports clubs were affected by the council’s lack of planning and investment in capital infrastructure.
“We have one disabled toilet that’s used for however many people arrive … otherwise there isn’t any public toilet.
“We had some dilapidated sheds which were used as the away rooms and the toilets in those were old school toilets. They were pulled down and they put portables in for the away teams, but we don’t have any of those.
“It’s an appalling situation that council have just let slip over a long period of time, and now what’s happening is a number of clubs have just said, ‘Well, hang on, this is inadequate’.”
Furlong said Williamstown would not share the park with Newport. “You can’t have two opposing clubs sharing the same facility.’’
Mayor Colleen Gates said about 60 sports clubs used 30 council grounds in Hobsons Bay.
“There are many competing interests in our sports and recreation spaces, especially given we’re trying to balance the needs of 60 clubs across the municipality with limited year-on-year funds,” she said.
