By Parker McKenzie
A much-needed redevelopment of the Belgrave Recreation Reserve will require three sporting clubs based out of the centre to raise $300,000 for the upgrade.
Belgrave Cricket Club, Belgrave Football Netball Club and Belgrave Junior Football Club all play at the ground and have formed a committee to ensure the proposed redevelopment is funded.
Secretary of Belgrave Cricket Club and its representative on the committee Melissa Davey said the facilities are currently not fit for purpose due to an increase in participation from women athletes.
“The aim is to put like a five-year plan together for the cricket club to try and fundraise as close to $100,000 as we can,” she said.
“We’ve got a meeting coming up and some information sessions coming up for our members and supporters, so we can start asking for ideas and we can start drawing upon contacts and things that people can provide us to fundraise the money.”
Ms Davey said the three clubs had been informed by Yarra Ranges Council that there were at least six other facilities requiring upgrades before Belgrave Recreational Reserve and it would cost a $300,000 contribution between them.
Belgrave Football Netball Club’s representative Bernie Weisgerber said the current building was built in the 1950s.
“The council put a temporary change room in for the girls outside. We’ve got a senior girls’ side and there are no facilities for them,” he said.
“We’ve got one female toilet for the whole joint, the other one is inoperable.”
During the 2022 state election, the Liberal Party of Victoria made a $3.8 million commitment to upgrading the reserve if elected to government, which it failed to do. The proposed development included completed netball courts, a new pavilion, new cricket nets and updated rooms for the Belgrave Men’s Shed.
Ms Davey said during the next few years, the cricket club will be calling on the local community to assist it with the fundraising efforts.
“We’re going to try and come up with different things that we can do to try and get as much of that money as we can,” she said.
“We’re really going to have to be smart and on the front foot about it, which is why we’re trying to put a five-year plan in place and try and get as many ideas as we can possibly.”
Yarra Ranges Council was contacted for comment.
