Users of the Lynbrook Oval are delighted that Casey Council has agreed to provide temporary change facilities during the upcoming cricket season. Back from left: Ken and Kevin Tchung, Casey councillor Wayne Smith, Emma Pike, Thomas and Ricky Hickson, Nathan Patterson, Steve McPhail, Rebecca Buckley, Luke McPhail, Becky Pike, Josh McPhail, Paul Buckley and Kristi Hickson. Front: David Tchung. Picture: Stewart Chambers.By Alison Noonan
LYNBROOK Cricket Club has been bowled over by a Casey Council decision to provide them with temporary change facilities.
Lynbrook Sports and Social Club president Steve McPhail said local user groups were delighted with the news that a changeroom, toilet and canteen would be installed at the Lynbrook Oval for this cricket season.
He said council had given the club’s two senior and junior sides free rein over the oval while investigations about the development of another permanent sporting site further up the road took place.
“We have been working with council on upgrading the facilities at Lynbrook,” Mr PcPhail said.
“We have had discussions about installing permanent facilities but those things take time so in the interim we have been lucky enough to secure temporary facilities, which is fantastic.”
River Gum Ward councillor Wayne Smith said council had agreed to provide the temporary facilities at a cost of $28,000 until 30 June 2006, when a decision would be made about the future of the oval.
“We inherited this oval from the developers as part of the development at Lynbrook,” Cr Smith said.
“However, it is now too small for the uses we would like to put there.
“Council is building another oval next to the primary school but in the meantime we have cricket and Auskick wanting to use this oval and no change or toilet facilities,” he said.
Cr Smith said he would now like council to investigate the possibility of buying the temporary facilities to move around to other reserves in the future.
“Everyone is absolutely happy about these facilities, but we were shocked by the high cost,” Cr Smith said. “The cost is in the emptying of the toilets and providing services such as water and electricity.
“I think council should investigate the cost of buying it so we can lend it to other clubs in the future,” he said.
