By Brendan Rees
Casey Council has welcomed nearly $5 million in funding for two major community and sporting projects thanks to the State Government’s Growing Suburbs Fund.
A $1.5 million grant will go towards the Selandra Rise Active Open Space Community Pavilion Development project in Clyde North while $3.3 million will be injected into the Cranbourne North Active Open Space Reserve in the Tulliallan Estate.
It comes as neighbours of the Tulliallan Estate fought a five year tussle with a developer who planned to build 138 homes on the 6.8 hectare site after reneging on a promise to deliver a sports field.
Council finally reached an agreement with the developer to purchase the land.
Construction of the reserve is valued at $10.81 million with works to starts towards the end of this year.
Funding for the open space reserve includes:
• A multipurpose pavilion for school and community use
• Outdoor spaces for recreation, including a district level play space, shared walking and cycling paths and landscaping
• Sport playing surfaces for school and community use, including three soccer pitches, a cricket oval, cricket nets and associated infrastructure
• Space for the delivery of programs promoting wellbeing and healthy lifestyles, such as the neighbouring school’s partnership with the Melbourne Football Club
Works on the Selandra Rise Active Open Space Community Pavilion are expected to start in April and will be delivered as part of a broader recreation reserve project valued at over $9.7 million. Funding of $800,000 for the project has also been provided through the State Government’s Community Sports Infrastructure Fund.
Funding for this project will go towards:
• A community space, including a multipurpose community room, public female, male, unisex and accessible toilets
• A kitchen, office and storage space
• Undercover gathering and spectator area with viewing and terracing
• Sport specific spaces including six changeroom and unisex amenities, unisex referees’ rooms, scorer’s room, first aid room and storage
• Outdoor spaces for recreation, including a district level play space, shared walking and cycling paths and landscaping
• Car parking
• Playing surfaces for sport, including three soccer pitches and two cricket ovals, cricket nets and associated infrastructure.
Works on the recreation reserve at Selandra Rise are already underway, with the Selandra Rise Active Open Space Community Pavilion Development project to provide an accompanying multipurpose community pavilion.
Casey mayor Susan Serey said Council was thrilled with the news and is excited to deliver the new facilities for residents.
Residents of Tulliallan Community Action Group spokeswoman Rebecca Hyland said the funding was a huge win for the community.
“The whole community got behind this; we had almost a 1000 signatures on the petition,” she said.
Ms Hyland thanked the support of Casey Council, Federal Member for Holt Anthony Byrne and all residents who got behind the campaign.
