By Oliver Winn
Users of the Wesburn Park have reiterated their calls for council to upgrade the oval after it continues to deteriorate in quality despite still servicing a large number of people.
The Wesburn Junior Football Club (WJFC) president Wayne Morgan said though the club has reached a record 250 players this year, the state of the oval falls behind in its capacity to serve the growing numbers.
“It’s not really suitable or safe enough in the very beginning of the season and it’s still dry for the summer,” Mr Morgan said.
“We do get a lot of shin splints, ACL injuries and concussions, which is the main concern from the older age groups from the 13s, 14s due to the hard playing surface.”
In the Yarra Ranges Council’s Wesburn Park Masterplan, three items were said to directly benefit the WJFC; the $8,863,000 ‘Community, Recreation and Education Centre’ which was indicated the club could use, $100,000 for a shade structure between the ovals and an $800,000 upgrade to the playing surface of the main oval and the oval’s fencing.
The plan states these upgrades were anticipated to be delivered in the next five to 10 years.
But, Mr Morgan said promises for new facilities date back to before he was even at the club, yet no significant upgrades have been made.
Though the club did receive new portables last May to address the girls having to share the changerooms with the boys, which would lead to girls having to wash their hands just a metre away from the urinals the boys would use.
Yarra Ranges Council Mayor Jim Child said he believes the council could be doing a better job.
“It’s a work in progress, I know the community would like to have something done tomorrow, but there’s a lot of work to be done across the municipality, but in particular Wesburn Park, that’s the one that I’m working on at the moment.”
“I must emphasise that there’s a fair bit of work to be done and my main task at the moment is to bring a dilemma to the council chamber,” Cr Child said.
Wesburn is the only standalone junior club in the AFL Outer East competition, with players usually splitting off between playing for Warburton-Millgrove, Yarra Junction, Powelltown and Woori Yallock for senior competition.
Mr Morgan said the council’s slow correspondence and lack of priority left him feeling indignant, but he appreciated Cr Child’s advocacy for the club.
“Jim Child himself, I’m very impressed and happy with what he’s done for us but, obviously, he’s just one person,” Mr Morgan said.
“But the actual department, the ones who actually facilitate and maintain these kind of facilities for the local sporting groups, are the ones that I feel have let us down over the years.”
