By Mikayla van Loon
Adoption of the Kilsyth Recreation Reserve master plan has been formalised after Yarra Ranges councillors unanimously voted for its approval.
The decision was handed down at the 12 September council meeting, with the projected timeline for works to be completed ranging from 2026 to 2035.
In the short term, funding of $230,000 has been reallocated in the council’s 2023-24 budget to demolish the existing but dilapidated tennis clubhouse and courts.
“It is unfortunately going to remove the en-tout-cas tennis courts but they’re in very poor shape,” Cr Len Cox said.
“Nobody’s wanted to use them for many years and in fact will be replaced by a lot more landscaping and pleasant areas for people to sit around in.”
The delay in delivering the other aspects of the project has been attributed to the purchase of 150 Cambridge Road Kilsyth, with limited capital available in the Walling Ward public open space fund.
The master plan will seek to improve the sports ground, lighting, access to public toilets, have better parking and traffic flow, create a multi-use plaza, add a multi-lined court suitable for netball finals and design a public open space for leisure use.
These future plans are based on the council obtaining the required funding through state and federal government grants.
“There’s an issue of not quite enough money in the budget for them at the moment but that will occur in the next few years and I look forward to seeing the vast improvements on this reserve,” Cr Cox said.
Impressed by the strategic plan, Cr Sophie Todorov said she believes the design “has a lot of strength in its leverage for future funding” to deliver the elements proposed.
“It’s just so pleasing to see that it’ll be used for more than just formal sport and it will be a great community open space area, which will encourage having many different members of our community of all different demographics, current and future demographics to be able to use that space,” she said.
“What I really appreciate about it is it has proposed activities and open spaces at no cost, including things such as the picnic areas, the pumptrack, the multipurpose court, which is really important to encourage accessibility for community members.”
With the draft master plan having been out for consultation from February to March this year, the council received feedback from 41 people, 75 per cent of which currently use the reserve.
Feedback identified walking paths, seating, picnic shelters, a sensory garden, a playspace, pump track and access to public toilets as the main features people would like to see.
The inclusion of lighting around the multi purpose court was also suggested during the consultation process, which was regarded as having merit by the council to extend the usage hours.
Estimations of cost total $3.9 million, with $2.3 million of the forecasted to come from the council’s budget and the rest supplemented by funding grants.
AFL Outer East and Eastern Ranges have also committed $65,000 to upgrade the timekeeper’s room, scoreboard and coach boxes, as well as the storage shed.
“This sporting area is actually the oldest in Kilsyth. It’s been a sporting facility, certainly for as long as I’ve been living in the area, and I believe for a lot longer than that,” Cr Cox.
“It was the centre of Kilsyth for football and cricket and still, it has football and cricket played on it.
“What we’re talking about is a proposal for the future development of the area and with that future development, there’s going to be quite a [few] changes made to it.”
