Kids get the works

By Bridget Brady
THE safety of children “flying” around Casey’s criterium track has sparked council to alter is capital works program at the 11th hour to build a pit lane.
Thousands of school students from around Victoria flocked to Casey Fields on the weekend for a six-hour Human Powered Vehicle event.
Casey councillor Geoff Ablett said from what he witnessed, it wasn’t safe for students without a pit lane.
Council’s capital works program was changed at a council meeting on Tuesday night, to allocate $60,000 for a pit lane to be built at the criterium track.
Cr Ablett said the money would be taken from $100,000 already allocated for ground improvements at Casey Fields, ensuring no other project would be worse off.
But the decision was not welcomed by all councillors.
Mayfield Ward councillor Kevin Bradford said it wasn’t good financial management.
“I don’t think this is the most appropriate way to go about it,” Cr Bradford said.
He said when other projects popped up that needed attention it could see the council facing problems later on down the track.
Cr Keleher said the project needed to “wait its turn”, and said the money could be better spent on tree planting, or to build toilets at various sporting clubs across Casey.
Mayfield Ward councillor Amanda Stapledon supported building a pit lane and said nothing was more important than the safety of children.
She said it was a “fair and reasonable” request.