Elsie Lange
Ahead of another week in which Gisborne Soccer Club’s senior teams had to organise their home games at other grounds because of a waterlogged pitch, Macedon Ranges council adopted the long-awaited Dixon Field master plan.
Estimated to cost $8.7 million, the seven-staged master plan will be implemented over a 20 year period, with works to redevelop or upgrade any soccer pitch areas not to be dealt with until stage two.
The 20-year plan will implement new or upgraded communal areas and toilets, car parking, helipad relocation, pitch irrigation, lighting, drainage and upgrades, a tennis and croquet clubhouse, courts and croquet green, roads, pathways and a playground.
At a meeting in late July, council assets and environment director Shane Walden said council had applied to the state government’s Local Sports Infrastructure Fund for money to undertake a detailed design for stage two, which is the second ground.
“Once the second pitch is constructed, council can then plan and undertake upgrades to the existing soccer pitch, without needing to remove the club’s access to a full size soccer pitch for an extended period,” Mr Walden said.
Gisborne Soccer Club president Richard Smart said while he was happy to see the master plan adopted, he wanted to see progress on the proposed stages, and fast.
“If you look at the Macedon Ranges Regional Sports [Precinct] and how long that took [to get started], that was a very long time,” Mr Smart said.
“I know it was more expensive, but I think they’ve only just started in the last month or two despite talk about that having gone on for years.”
The waterlogging at the club’s only playable, full-sized pitch meant two men’s senior teams would play in Sunbury and its women’s team in Melton, after deadline, because there were no other options in the Macedon Ranges.
“We’ve had to leave the whole shire to play, because the only other full sized pitch is in Kyneton and they play on it,” Mr Smart said.
“It’s a bit of a shame on the actual shire itself… imagine if Sunbury had the problem and they tried to come to us, we can’t even play our own games never mind help clubs from other shires.”
