Demolition of the Spotswood Football and Cricket pavilion at Donald McLean Reserve has finally occurred, paving the way for construction to begin on its replacement.
The new pavilion will include a much bigger social space, easing the pressure on the often overcrowded football and cricket events in the rooms after matches.
It is all part of an $8 million redevelopment of facilities at the Donald McLean Reserve which began last year with the upgrade of the main oval.
The builders of the Westgate Tunnel, CPB Contractors and John Holland, have contributed to the project after State Treasurer Tim Pallas promised Hobsons Bay City Council the Government would build the pavilion.
And we have come a long way from where CPBJH initially planned to hand over some secondhand construction huts they were using, but only about a year after the tunnel project had been completed – making it somewhere about 2024.
In line with new policy on floodlights, both ovals at Donald McLean will new get competition grade LED lights.
The tennis courts at the reserve are being upgraded to also make them suitable for netball, which we have a shortage of in the eastern side of the municipality.
With big housing developments going up in the area, I am sure these will be well used in the near future.
The council is looking at what impact shading from the Westgate Tunnel on-ramp would have on the cricket nets if they stay where they are on the north side of the pavilion.
We are getting our own shading study before we make a call on whether or not they will be relocated.
The playground at the western end of the reserve also gets a revamp, with a new barbecue and public toilets.
In a year’s time, the Donald McLean Reserve will look sparkling new.
