By Gabriella Vukman and Tanya Steele
Locals are appreciating the new lighting that now adorns Boronia’s Chandler Park Reserve, which was opened officially on 8 August.
As part of a state government initiative to endorse grassroots sports across Knox and the Yarra Ranges, many sporting clubs and grounds are receiving some love.
Member for Bayswater Jackson Taylor said he was stoked that the State Government continues to back in grassroots sports across Knox.
“Including being the majority funding partner in delivering new lights at Chandler Park Reserve in Boronia,” he said.
Knox City Council Mayor Jude Dwight posted to social media on 8 August that it was great to get down to Chandler Park and celebrate the shared delivery of new lighting for Chandler Reserve.
“$150,000 through Boronia Revitalisation Board together with $28,135 and project delivery from Council to get longer and safer usage at this great reserve (which now also has toilets!!),” she wrote.
Revitalising Boronia is part of the Victorian Government’s suburban revitalisation program and the State Government has chosen Boronia as a key area to improve in order to boost local growth, increase economic activity, and create more jobs that fit the community’s skills.
“These new lights will ensure more play, more often for great local clubs like The Basin Football and Netball Club and Boronia Cricket Club,” Mr Taylor said.
“I’m proud that we’ve delivered these new lights alongside a new pavilion at JW Manson Reserve in Wantirna, lots of new cricket nets, new lighting and so much more,” he said.
Six projects in Boronia received over $1 million in funding in November 2022 from the state government and council, with community projects and organisations, local traders and sports clubs the main winners.
Aside from the $150,000 for sports field lighting at Chandler Park the Boronia Revitalisation Board also awarded $136,500 for the Boronia Community Breakfast Program by Knox Infolink, $50,000 for a series of neurodiverse inclusion events with local organisations, $50,000 for the Boronia Community Grants Program, $200,000 for pedestrian wayfinding signage at the Boronia Activity Centre and $395,000 for a full year program for place-making and retail activation.
Maintaining how important it is to support local sports Mr Taylor said with the growth in girls and women in sport, investments in sporting infrastructure like these are critical to supporting them and for everyone to get involved.
Chandler Park is not the last stop for upgrades in local reserves in the area, with future works planned.
“We’ve got work soon starting on the new and upgraded pavilions at Tormore Reserve in Boronia and Wally Tew Reserve in Ferntree Gully – it’s all happening,” Mr Taylor said.
