Sporting Ground in Aspendale Gardens
This project is stalled due to lack of water supply. As we know water used for council sports grounds has been and is still rationed by government. In our view the need for water rationing was the result of the state government's failure over the last ten years to plan for their forecast massive growth in Melbourne's population and number of households and the resulting increased demand for water and many other services. Had plans been put in place early enough for alternate water supplies including the construction of new dams and/or sourcing fresh water from Tasmania using a gravity fed undersea pipeline and/or the recycling of used water we should have been able to meet the increased demand and manage the recent drought conditions. Climate change and increased demand has been forecast for many years yet it is only now that some additional water supplies are coming on stream, for example, from the costly and controversial north south pipeline that we are paying for through our water rates.
Unfortunately I was unable to attend the last Village Committee meeting however I asked the Village Committee to consider the following motion and supporting statement:-
Motion: That Council ensures that the Aspendale Gardens Sports Ground is provided a water allocation sufficient to establish construction of the Ground and if of advantage to use special grasses and to also arrange for the Sports Ground Steering Committee to be organised to meet in May.
Supporting statement; Refer previous minutes because the Aspendale Sports Ground is included in the current budget and is already over one year behind plan and because the government have now increased water allocations to Kingston Sports Grounds an allocation of water to this new ground should be considered by council based on merit alongside existing Sports Grounds as though it already exists.
The need for this ground has been justified for over 10 years and has been budgeted for. If council decide that they cannot provide a water allocation for this ground then an additional motion should be passed along the lines, “Due to high local and city wide demand for this sports ground and the fact that Aspendale Gardens and the Waterways communities have amongst the highest concentrations of young people in the region that Council make a special request to the State Government for a special water allocation so that construction can proceed.” If this motion is passed I will make a specific presentation justifying both motions to the next council meeting. This ground can be constructed with longer term water supplies guaranteed by the north south pipeline (already paid for in our water rates) and from the Carrum Grey Water Plant as well as the Wonthaggi Desalination Plant. This sports ground will only need a water allocation for a short period of time and I cannot envisage the state government not supporting construction by withholding water supply for a few years. Incidentally the Government has previously given their support for construction of this Sports Ground. Our local and Kingston community need this ground. Remember the reason that budgeted funds are available at Council and waiting to be used is because the Ground meets an already proven need within Kingston's Leisure and Sport plans.
Action decided upon by the Village Committee. A discussion took place on the issue raised by Ken. In Ken's absence and prior to a recommendation being sought, the committee has asked Council to clarify at what water restriction level could council consider constructing new sporting ground assets. Leave on MAS for further discussion.
This will be followed up at the next Village Committee meeting in early June.
Local Councillor Donna Bauer previously reported that she has spoken to CEO John Nevins and has been given a verbal assurance that council is committed to the project but there is the problem with water supply. Therefore there can be no doubt that the budget will be carried forward into the 2010/11 year. Donna will again ask Council to arrange for the first sportsground steering committee meeting to be arranged so that community research and planning can get underway. Donna will also request further information from Council about how the Rossdale Golf Club gets their water. The same method may be able to be used by council for our sportsground.