Riddells Creek sports clubs are rejoicing after the state government committed $100,000 to install more courts at the local sports reserve.
Macedon MP Mary-Anne Thomas visited Riddells Creek Reserve just before Christmas to announce the funds, which will go towards the second stage of Macedon Ranges council’s $561,000 Riddells Creek Tennis Club project.
The council has already contributed $215,000 to the project, with reserve user groups providing $246,000.
As part of the works, two floodlit tennis courts and a netball-basketball court will be added. These works follow the construction of three tennis courts in 2013, and will help cater for a growing population in the Riddells Creek area.
Riddells Creek Tennis Club’s Andrew Nicoll said the extra two tennis courts will mean the club can put together more teams, as well as enabling more home matches at Riddells Creek. Currently, one of the club’s junior teams plays its home matches at Kyneton.
Mr Nicoll believes the club will be able to add another junior team and at least one other ladies team after the upgrade.
“Since we got the first three courts in 2013, the club’s membership has doubled from around 55 to 120 … and we have managed to sustain that,” Mr Nicoll said.
“The Riddells Creek community has a growing demand for sports facilities. We have been working with the council for some time to get funding.”
The government has also committed $100,000 to improve cricket training facilities at Riddells Creek and Gisborne, part of the government’s growth corridor cricket participation project.
Macedon Ranges council said the funds will go towards its $206,280 project to develop synthetic pitches with retractable nets in both towns. The pitches will also allow other users to access the area for netball or football warm-ups.
