The name of late former premier Joan Kirner has been dragged in to a long-running dispute over whether to convert the disused ladies bowling area on Williamstown’s Dennis Reserve into open space or tennis courts.
As reported by Star Weekly, a report to Hobsons Bay council recommended the area be used for two more tennis courts funded by Williamstown Central Tennis Club.
But Bonnie Gelman and Rob Lucas, who in 2013 collected about 170 signatures on a petition calling for the bowling green to become public open space, wrote to councillors last week saying a private donor had offered to contribute funds if the space could be called Joan Kirner Garden.
“Joan was an environmentalist and keen advocate of the idea of community ownership – that we should all feel part of the public space,” they said.
Williamstown Central Tennis Club president Michael Greaves said Ms Kirner could be honoured in any number of ways.
“You could call them the Joan Kirner tennis courts if you wanted to,” he said. “That’s neither here nor there.
“We could get lots of signatures to say that they would prefer tennis courts.
“Tennis has absolutely boomed in this area in the last five, six, seven years and I don’t understand why people keep saying there are enough tennis courts when we’re struggling to get enough for juniors in night competition.”
Hobsons Bay mayor Colleen Gates said Ms Kirner was a valued and much-loved resident of Williamstown.
“She gave so much to the local community,” she said. “It would be wonderful to be able to remember her significant contribution in an appropriate way.”
The council on Tuesday night voted to go back to the community to develop a master plan for Dennis Reserve.
