by Sahar Foladi
Greater Dandenong Council is set to examine whether to allocate more space to a cramped Springvale Districts Football and Netball Club at Springvale Reserve.
A notice of motion passed at a 25 June council meeting to review the fast-growing SFL club’s current meeting space allocation at Newcomen Road, including exclusive use of the function room during the season.
The club has long argued that repeated hiring, packing and unpacking the function room at every home game left them burnt out.
Springvale Districts FNC prsident Greg Scott says it takes a dozen volunteers to pack and unpack after every game.
“It takes a power of work to set up – it’s crazy. Our volunteers start at 8am and finish by 8pm at night. It’s very draining.
“We want to have access to the rooms like any other sporting club across Greater Dandenong to be able to accommodate our growing number of netballers, senior and junior footballers, Auskickers and large community of supporters.”
Every home game consists of volunteers stocking the bar, arranging tables and chairs, supplying a cash point and portable wi-fi, bringing in its electronic honour board, displaying a sponsors banners and liquor-licensing signage.
There are nine home games per season, excluding the finals.
According to Mr Scott the club attracts match crowds of between 500 to 1500.
“They love it and say how great the rooms are utilised but they’re surprised to know we’re not in the position of accessing it.
“We don’t get full tenancy rights of the rooms like other clubs.”
Councillor Sean O’Reilly, who moved the motion, said the club has “become a victim of its own success,” having to hire the function room due to its growth.
“The Springvale Districts FNC is the heart and soul of our community bringing people together through football and netball.
“These are volunteers, it’s like they’re stuck in a never ending pre-season.
“Something has to change so I support the club in raising and escalating the issues,” he said.
“The club is the largest if not one of the largest in the municipality and every time they have to pick up the key from the Civic Centre. I don’t think there’s any other club that goes through this.”
Clubs receive seasonal access throughout the year to the field, pavilion and change rooms however this is not the case for Springvale District FNC who are required to go through council’s casual bookings process to hire the function room.
Springvale Districts FNC chairman Tony Cooper says the $300 casual booking of the function room at every Demons home game is one thing but the daily set-up and pack up is annoying to say the least.
“We hope that there’s enough goodwill to allow our club to use the facility that’s already at the club built by the football community.
“The biggest problem is the other functions held in that function room can be held at other council owned buildings but we can only play football and netball at our home ground.”
The club want full access to the facility for six months of the year.
Mr Cooper refers to the pavilion being developed years ago with club members’ donations. After the function room’s refurbishment in 2010 “(the) council decided to hire it out for events viewing it as a civic facility rather than a dedicated space for sporting clubs.”
Mr Cooper also wrote to the council in late April according to CODE Sports.
“This is not a complicated issue, it is a football facility, at a football ground, return it to the football community,” he said.
Councillors Tim Dark and Richard Lim also voiced their support for the club highlighting its significant growth.
Cr Dark addressed the run down facilities across the municipality as a broader issue amongst growing community groups and clubs.
“One of the biggest issue is that they don’t have sufficient infrastructure.
“Springvale is one of the most prominent ones. They had significant issues when their toilets were upgraded and the delays that took ended up having one of the most abhorrent set up of villages of portable toilets I’ve seen in my life.
“Many other community groups and clubs are struggling to have the appropriate amount of growth and right facilities in place.
“It places challenge for a council that has ageing infrastructure unlike the people in Casey and Cardinia with brand new infrastructure in new estates.”
Despite these limitations, councillors applauded the club’s extreme competitiveness and efforts with every game, fundraiser and functions being well-attended.
The club has three open-age men’s team, nine female netball team with 110 registered females and an Auskick program for youngsters.
The reserve is set to prosper with $2 million upgrades as part of the 2023-’24 State Government Budget, including 200 lux LED competition-standard lighting for netball courts, 100 lux LED lighting for the oval and two coaches’ boxes.
The pavilion will be upgraded with a new kitchen and canteen, renewal to the pavilion toilets and renewal of the coaches’ boxes.
The council will spend $100,000 for the construction of a new local level playground.
