Hannah Hammoud
Members of the Epping Football Netball Club (EFNC) are calling out Whittlesea council for dishonouring its promise that work on the club’s car park would not impact the football season.
Previously, council worked with EFNC on the new ground and parking lot improvements, but club president Kirsty Stilsby said the most recent stage two improvements to the car park will have adverse consequences for the club.
A high concern of the club is that medics will not be able to move around the ground freely, and Ambulance services will also be blocked off from the top oval if the proposed works are to go ahead during the season.
“We were told that these stage two works wouldn’t impede on the football season and if it did it would only be for one or two weeks,” Ms Stilsby said.
The football club is well into the season and Ms Stilsby is urging council to delay works until the football season is finished.
“Council is meant to be looking after the community … well they’re not, they’re not listening to what this is going to do to the club,” she said.
“There will only be 60-odd car parks while the works are going on. This is nowhere near enough when we have 10 junior sides training at once, on Sundays we will have a crossover with 48 kids on one oval and 48 on the other, and that doesn’t consider things like milestone games and family and friends coming to watch.”
Whittlesea council chief executive Craig Lloyd confirmed that work is set to begin on the second stage of car par park upgrade but council will ensure there are appropriate interim parking arrangements in place and that emergency access to the sports ground and pavilion is always maintained.
“… While council’s preference is to complete upgrades like this outside of the football season, this is not always possible due to market conditions, and escalating costs if the project is delayed,” he said.
“Council is committed to continuing to work with the Epping Football and Netball Club and other users of the reserve to address their concerns and minimise disruption as much as possible.”
