Zoe Moffatt
Hume residents have responded to council’s draft budget, with sporting clubs calling for increased infrastructure funding, and Sunbury residents requesting aquatic upgrades.
At a special meeting on June 5, councillors heard from 13 residents in regards to the draft budget, with 60 written submissions received by council.
A Greenvale United Soccer Club member spoke at the meeting and said the club had put in a few submissions this year in relation to facilities.
“We’re looking for assistance to upgrade our current facilities,” the member said.
“We’ve had a 25 per cent growth in the last two years, which has essentially allowed us to grow to 400 registered players at the club.
“Unfortunately we’ve also had to say no to 302 [people] this year, and it was 225 [people] in 2022, with the facilities not being as many as we would like.”
A Roxburgh Park United Soccer Club member also spoke at the meeting and said the club has 196 children on the waiting list due to limited space.
Members from the Greenvale Kangaroos Cricket Club and Craigieburn Football Club also spoke at the meeting in regards to their club’s facilities.
Another resident at the meeting spoke about the funding allocated to the Sunbury Aquatic and Leisure Centre, following an announcement on May 31, that the 25-metre indoor pool will be closed for up to 12 weeks.
“Over the past 10 years, two wards have collectively received an astonishing $160 million in funding for leisure, sports and aquatic facilities,” the resident said.
“On the other hand, one ward, [Jacksons Creek Ward], has received just $24 million , which accounts for just 15 cents in every dollar spent by Hume council.
“We too in Sunbury are growing, and we too deserve adequate facilities.”
The resident said it is time for council to rectify this disparity and prioritise the needs of Sunbury and the growing community.
“The expectation from the communication from Hume seems that we’re simply just to accept and adapt,” the resident said.
“Our pool and aquatic centre isn’t just bursting at the seams, if you’ve seen it recently, it’s actually burst.”
Council said it will provide responses to all submissions, and the budget will be considered at its meeting on June 26.
