Casey Council has approved a recommendation to name a reserve in Clyde North the ‘Mick Morland Reserve’ to honour former Casey mayor Mick Morland.
The reserve, which is located at 336i Grices Road, within the Edrington Ward which Mick Morland served as councillor for six terms since he was first elected in 1992, will be developed into a district level AFL/cricket and netball facility.
It will include one oval, two netball courts, a multipurpose community pavilion, cricket nets, a car park, a playground, shared paths, landscaping and public art.
Casey Council manager of city and asset planning, Keri New, said the reserve will provide a new community hub that celebrates Mr Morland’s support of sporting clubs, community, and nature conservation.
“The site is in the Kilora Park Estate, a new residential area within Clyde North, one of Australia’s fastest growing suburbs. The new recreation reserve will provide much needed recreation space, facilities and participation opportunities for the new community to be active and connected,” she said.
“The reserve forms part of the council endorsed ‘Mick Morland Legacy Link’, connecting the new community centre, recreation reserve and Cardinia Creek, an important recreation, conservation, and ecologically significant site.
“A suite of design installations are planned and council officers are consulting relevant parties and progressing the design of these elements.
“The new reserve is ideal to be named in honour of Mick Morland and to acknowledge his significant role.”
Council will give public notice of its intention to name the site ‘Mick Morland Reserve’ to invite submissions and will also request the registrar of Geographic Names to endorse council’s resolution.
The Morland family have provided support for the ‘Mick Morland Legacy Link’ including naming the site ‘Mick Morland Reserve’.
The announcement comes after Casey Council decided not to proceed with a proposal last year to rename Pioneers Park in Berwick as Mick Morland Reserve following a consultation period with the community who strongly supported retaining the current name.
Hundreds farewelled the popular mayor, who died aged 67, when he was struck by a car on 24 June 2017 while on his regular evening walk.
The project for the reserve is included in council’s 2019-20 capital works program and is outlined in the Clyde North Precinct Structure Plan and Council’s Leisure Facilities Development Plan.
