General News
3 March, 2022
Upgrades start at reserve
THE Mortlake Recreation Reserve committee is close to launching a new era of sport and recreation in town, with works on the second stage of upgrades at the oval now underway.
THE Mortlake Recreation Reserve committee is close to launching a new era of sport and recreation in town, with works on the second stage of upgrades at the oval now underway.
The current phase will see more than half a million dollars invested in to an upgrade of power capacity, lighting upgrades to facilitate night-time sporting events and the installation of a new turf cricket pitch.
The works are set to be completed by the start of April, which could see usage of the ground increase more than 100 nights every year and create more opportunities for female and all abilities sports.
Chair of the master plan working group Mick Murphy OAM said works would facilitate a more diverse range of sporting and event opportunities.
“Upgrading the lights will allow night football and cricket games among a range of other things,” he said.
“It’s a pretty exciting opportunity to be able to use the recreation reserve more, which is what our overall objective is.”
Mr Murphy said the upgrades would provide new opportunities for the Mortlake Recreation Reserve.
“Overall, the project for the lighting and power upgrade was a bit over half a million dollars, and that’s been funded from a range of sources including the federal government, the shire, about 10 philanthropic funds, contributions from local users and clubs, and the committee itself,” he said.
“The support the Moyne Shire has given us and the diligence of the recreation reserve committee to work its way through these projects has been wonderful.
“It doesn’t happen overnight and it’s been volunteer-led, which is just wonderful.
“It’s taken us a long while. We started in 2015 and invested close to a million dollars in the multi-purpose upgrades and new toilets, and over half a million in this, so it adds up.”
The second stage of upgrades follows on from previous works which included the development of a helicopter pad, the installation of automated irrigation, development of the multi-purpose indoor facility, new scoreboard, change room upgrades and upgrades to the social rooms.
Mr Murphy said the second phase of the upgrades was integral to ensuring the final stage of the master plan would be completed, although he acknowledged bringing the complete master plan to fruition was a number of years away.
“A future project to upgrade the rest of the facilities including the dressing sheds, administration facilities, kitchen and medical facility will be explored,” he said.
“However, that’s well ahead of us in the future and we haven’t turned our mind tothat yet.
“But upgrading of the power supply for the whole rec reserve will allow us to have better facilities all around and accommodate new buildings in the future.”
