Grand plans

By Bridget Brady
ERICA Maliki is pulling out all stops to ensure Cairns Road Reserve gets the facelift it deserves.
Ms Maliki and users of the reserve are rallying the state and federal governments to help fund the $2.7 million master plan and make Cairns Road Reserve in Hampton Park a state-of-the art sports facility and highlight of a “neglected” town.
“I’m going to fight black and blue until the upgrades are done,” Ms Maliki said. “Hampton Park always gets a bad wrap and I don’t think we’re any different to any other suburb, but we always seem to get overlooked. Look at facilities around Casey. They have brand-new facilities and we have one disabled toilet that we use for our ladies.”
Casey Council has committed $250,000 to the master plan and another $320,000 is proposed as part of this year’s budget.
The master plan includes a second oval, athletics facilities and improvements to run-down clubrooms. Currently, the clubrooms double up as change rooms and a roller door is used to separate teams on game day and footballers as young as Under 9s play their matches on an AFL-sized ground.
“Having a smaller ground on that reserve is going to be able to give the coaches a lot more of a chance to teach these kids the proper skills of playing football.”
Ms Maliki said the revitalisation of the reserve would service the various sports clubs that used the oval, but also local schools and residents.
“It will be for the community. The area is the hub of Hampton Park. It really is the perfect area for the upgrades to happen.”
Ms Maliki said she hoped there would be no buck passing in attempts to gain funding.
“Instead of working against each other, let’s work together.”
Holt MP Anthony Byrne said he looked forward to working with the council to develop the “much-needed and worthwhile project”.
Casey’s manager of sport and leisure, Richard Amon, said the council would work on behalf of the community to lobby for state and federal government support.
Casey councillor Lynette Keleher said it was vital that all aspects of the master plan were completed.
“We can also encourage the wider community to come and support their local clubs.”