If you are close by we need your short attendance at the club on Thursday 23 November anytime between 5pm and 7.30pm Meet the Councillors and Officers This is of upmost importance to push the project along.
The Mentone Recreation Reserve redevelopment is finally a reality with the City of Kingston voting to support the club’s preferred option on a new $6.8 million sporting and community room facility to be built out onto Remo Street plus our 1928 Grandstand being renovated back to its former glory to maintain its heritage value.
A walkway will be built to link the two buildings and the current social room will be converted to meeting rooms plus office space for football, cricket, Mentone Mustangs Basketball Club and Mentone Clovers Netball Club. The State Government is contributing $1.5 million.
Tim Richardson MP for Mordialloc was pivotal in advocating and receiving the additional $0.5M to get the project approved by council.
The Club appeals for your assistance to help move the project forward as we move into the community consultation period.
Kingston has nominated Thursday 23 November between 5.00pm and 7.30pm for interested people who live close by to drop in for 20 minutes, register and view the updated concept plans. Council officers and club officials will be in attendance to answer questions on the project.
Following the consultations, Kingston officers report back all of our Councillors who will then formally apply for Remo Street to be closed between numbers 1 and 9 so the new building can be built out onto the middle of the road.
They also have to complete detailed design plans, apply for planning and heritage permits to allow the restoration of our 1928 grandstand.
The stronger the support, the quicker we move ahead as with any new building project objectors can delay it so we need the weight of numbers on our side.
The club is asking for your support along the journey and this starts with 2 actions:
1.f you are close by on 23 November, drop into the C lub with family members to register your attendance and support. The BBQ will be on.
2.Log on and register to Kingston’s community consultation survey http://www.yourkingstonyoursay.com.au/mentone-reserve-pavilionand indicate your support.It only takes a few minutes but the survey will ask for an additional comment on future facilities and below are suggestions you can recommend such as:
- A larger community space upstairs to cater for other not-for-profit groups during the day Monday to Friday
- A widening and lengthening of the oval so it is of similar size to our opponents
- Over sowing the playing surface to maintain thicker grass cover
- A proper path around the playing oval for better spectator viewing and for access for residents with a disability
- Basketball and Netball Courts on the Remo Street land
- Transferring the Cricket Nets onto the Remo Street Land
- Seating in the grandstand
- Children’s playground equipment on the nursing home land after it is relocated
- Sports gym equipment on the nursing home land after it is relocated
- Linking the sports reserve with the Keith Styles Park in Mentone Parade
- Car Park at number 1 Remo Street
- Angle parking on the football ground side of Venice and Brindisi Streets
This public relations component is extremely important as both the Councillors and Officers need to read, see and hear that the project has strong community support so they will push ahead as quickly as possible.
Mark Tyquin, Shaun Napier, Fiona Lawrence and Peter Davis are heading up this sub-committee.
An acknowledgement should be made to the Premier Daniel Andrews who backed us with a $1 million dollar commitment and Tim Richardson MP for his advocacy to gain an extra $0.5M from the State Government which in effect forced council officers to support our preferred option.
Kingston Councillors on 25 September then supported the officers’ recommendation which will assist us to raise more funds which in turn will allow us to provide the best coaching and skills based programs for our players.
The club’s contribution is $50K which we still need to raise plus the fit out at a cost of $100K so we have obtained Australian Sports Foundation Tax Deductibility status for the fit out.
Tax deductable donations can be made with a few clicks at our webpage on the Australian Sports Foundation website:- https://asf.org.au/donate/st-bedes-mentone-tigers-club-development-fund/
For further details, call Club Secretary Peter Davis on 0417 357 634