By Victoria Stone-Meadows
THE Mount Evelyn Junior Football Club has been forced to re-locate the under 12s girls match this weekend after their football oval was badly damaged by hoons.
Mt Evelyn Police Sargent Craig Keithley said the damage was caused by someone doing burnouts on the oval.
“Over the weekend, someone got on the football oval, the lower football oval in Mt Evelyn, and tore it to bits,” he said.
Sargent Keithley said the people responsible removed some bollards from the western side of the oval to gain access.
The football club had to find a last minute alternative location for the girl’s football match that was scheduled for 8.45 on Sunday morning.
“We had to cancel the game and find an alternate location,” said Mount Evelyn Junior Football Club President, Mal Darke. “Luckily we could move the game to the Montrose Primary School oval.”
Mr Darke said the damage to the oval’s surface went beyond just a few ruts in the oval.
“It’s absolutely devastating for the clubs and the kids,” he said.
“Whoever has done this has also damaged the pitch cover for the cricket pitch and ripped up the pitch cover.”
The club has been requesting an upgrade to the facilities on the bottom oval at Mount Evelyn all this season and Mr Darke believes that this disappointing vandalism could have been avoided.
“If there was proper fencing up it would not have happened,” he said.
“With new fencing they wouldn’t have had any access to the ground.”
Mr Darke said improving the facilities at the bottom oval would mean more to the club than just improved security.
“We’ve got over 200 kids at the club and we are growing so much we need more areas to train to take impact off the top oval,” he said.
As the clubs move into their finals campaigns there are no more matches scheduled for the damaged oval but the club will continue to be affected by the vandalism.
“We have six out of seven competitive teams through to finals and we need to find alternative training locations,” said Mr Darke.
“It’s a low act that ultimately impacts the kids and the community.”
Police are urging anyone with information to call Leading Senior Constable Lisa Brooks at Mount Evelyn Police on 9736 2473.
