By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Berwick Springs Reserve will receive $100,000 towards upgrades as part of a Liberal Party State election pledge.
Opposition leader Matthew Guy, South-East Metropolitan MP Inga Peulich and Narre Warren South candidate Susan Serey announced the funding towards extending the pavilion, installing an electronic scoreboard and seating around the ground.
They were joined by members of the Berwick Springs cricket and junior football teams that use the reserve.
Mr Guy said that his Government, if elected, would spend money on community sport rather than “Daniel Andrews’ priorities of building a ballroom at Etihad Stadium”.
Ms Serey said she’d promoted the project vigorously as a candidate for the seat in 2014. In the lead-up to that election, the Liberals pledged $250,000 to the project.
In the interim, City of Casey had upgraded part of the pavilion, with the installation of an industrial kitchen, a Liberal spokeswoman said.
The project requires further funding, with City of Casey having no plans to upgrade the site in 2018-‘19.
Casey Council service and asset planning manager Wayne Mack said he nevertheless welcomed commitments from “all parties” to upgrade facilities in the municipality.
Gary Maas, the ALP candidate for Narre Warren South, said the Government had invested $241.6 million in womens and community sport in the recent budget, including an upgrade of Casey Fields for the AFLW Demons.
Grant money was also allocated for uniforms and coaching programs at local clubs, he said.
“Local clubs will also benefit from the upgrades to Casey Fields.”
