Work Starts On $1.3 Million JJ Holland Park Upgrade In Melbourne
A major $1.3 million rejuvenation of Kensington’s JJ Holland Park is underway.
Sports Minister James Merlino and Member for Melbourne Bronwyn Pike joined City of Melbourne councillor Brian Shanahan to turn the first sod on construction of the project today.
The popular park will undergo a makeover and will be home to Australia’s first synthetic grass field that meets the strict criteria of the Australian Football League and Cricket Australia.
“Local sporting clubs are at the heart of our communities and by improving the quality of their facilities we’re encouraging even more people to get healthy and active,” Mr Merlino said.
“The new artificial surface will help cater for the growing community demand for sporting facilities in Melbourne and give the community more opportunities to get involved in sport.”
Mr Merlino congratulated the Melbourne City Council for its $1 million contribution to the park, for the installation of a new pitch for community sports such as football, soccer and cricket.
Ms Pike said the Brumby Labor Government was proud of its $250,000 contribution.
“The innovative shape of the pitch means that it will be able to cater for Aussie Rules and soccer matches, but also can add an extra area on each ‘wing’ thereby converting into a suitable playing surface for cricketers during the summer months,” Ms Pike said.
“This means that the local community can continue to enjoy this wonderful park – whether it is families, primary school kids, mums and dads and our many local sporting clubs.
“The new synthetic, multi-sport field will go a long way towards promoting local sport to our communities, increasing participation and a sense of belonging.”
Ms Pike said the other great advantage of the new field was that it would not require watering, enabling it to withstand more wear and tear than conventional turf pitches. Victorian Government funding for the project comes from the Community Facility Funding Program.
“We don’t want any Victorians to miss out on the benefits of an active lifestyle which is why we’re working together to develop quality, accessible and in this case drought-proof, local sporting facilities where they’re needed,” Ms Pike said.
“This announcement is a fantastic effort and a great example of what can be achieved when the Victorian Government, clubs, local councils, and communities work together.”
The Victorian Government has invested approximately $197 million through the Community Facility Funding Program for more than 2,100 community facility projects since 2006.
Topics: 2010, active, artificial surface, Aussie Rules, Australia, Australian Football League, Brian Shanahan, Bronwyn Pike, business, community, Community Facility Funding Program, construction, Cricket Australia, drought proof grass, economic development, economic growth, economic recovery, Economy, employment, environment, families, Football, Governance, government, Health Care, healthy, JJ Holland Park, jobs, kensington, local councils, local sports clubs, Melbourne, moniter, monitor, news, park, recreation, school, soccer, soccer matches, society, sporting clubs, sports, summer, Victoria
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