The exciting $3.35 million project for Walker Park AKA The MCG of The East is now moving along at a rapid pace. Jointly funded by the Federal Government and Whitehorse City Council, this facility will serve The Mitcham Senior and Junior Football Club, The Mitcham Senior and Junior Cricket Club and broader community well into the future. Council will contribute $2.85 million to the build along with a Federal Government grant of $400K and AFL Grant of $100K.
Council officers and The Mitcham Sporting Club re development committee have been meeting regularly and are extremely close to concluding the detailed design phase.
Mitcham Football Club president Matt McCubbin said “The new facility will be state of the art. Speaking from a football perspective we will have a new Gym, medical room, ice baths, showers and toilet cubicles to cater for all of our players. The social club will now have compliant toilets that will be brought up to community standards , new canteen and a commercial kitchen with an increased multi-purpose function space able to cater for 160 to 180 people seated. The biggest addition of course will be the multi-purpose viewing area with bi fold doors opening on to a raised viewing platform. On behalf of the Mitcham Football Club I would like to acknowledge and thank Michael Sukkar who got the ball rolling with his federal grant and for his continued support throughout this entire process. Big thank you to our Councillors Prue Cutts and Ben Stennett for their tireless work at council level to help us achieve this outcome. We also thank state member Dee Ryall who has helped the club behind the scenes to battle for a building that suits our needs / requirements. A generous election commitment of $500k would have further enhanced the capabilities of the new viewing room. Sadly due to the powers that be it seems this will not go ahead.
Lastly we need to appreciate the tireless work and ongoing commitment of the Walker Park Redevelopment committee. Sporting Club president Luke Smith, PPOA member Garry Wathen, Cricket Club President Alan Fairbairn along with Ken O’Meara, Steve Simpson, David Wemyss and Russell Witherow who were all involved in the initial processes. This project has been a long and sometimes draining process and we thank these people for sticking it through, making sure all our clubs get a desirable result keeping us all in good stead heading into the future."
The build is anticipated to start Feb / March next year with a completion date scheduled for Feb 2020 to fit in with Federal Grant requirements.
Last Modified on 23/09/2018 09:47