As part of our push for the crucial upgrades at John Connell Reserve, the Leeming Spartan Cricket Club has been busy raising awareness of the issues at hand and how we’re struggling to cope without the development.
Saturday the 30th January saw us deliver an important message on SportFM, 91.3, during the morning’s SMCA radio show. Specifically, we sought to bring about crucial attention towards many of the major upgrades that are in the works at John Connell Reserve.
You’d be forgiven for missing it as a lot of water has gone under the bridge since with the COVID-19 lockdown seeing the clubhouse closed for the entirety of the week a fortnight ago.
As we more formally detailed here, the Leeming Spartan Cricket Club – together with the Leeming Bowls Club and Leeming Strikers Soccer Club, are all seeking to overhaul the reserve and bring about crucial and long-overdue changes as soon as possible.
These vital changes namely include an extension of John Connell Reserve to the eastern side by approximately 18m into an area of unkempt and unused bush which would thereby provide us with space for an additional cricket pitch. Additionally, we will be seeking to reposition our cricket nets and upgrade them in the process – so as to end the dreaded walk down to training. Perhaps most importantly – at least from a Club-growth perspective – is the need to rejuvenate our ageing change rooms and provide the capacity for women’s teams to utilise these facilities.
Learn About The Project In Full
A lot of work has gone into the project, but as you’ll hear in the broadcast below, the development is being stalled by the local government authority, the City of Melville, and we are therefore working hard to try to bring about real action to getting this project up and running.
A series of endless meetings and the like have so far enabled us to see some early progress, but for each passing day that absolute confirmation is not given and no physical work takes place is another frustrating day not only for the Committee, but all of our members and the community as a whole.
In the radio broadcast attached below, Club Secretary Daniel Coombs outlines what the project entails and how we are pushing hard to ensure it is achieved at an appropriate cost and within a proper timeframe given how long-overdue it is already.
This marks the first of what will be a series of measures towards getting more exposure to the project, and we continue to work with the LGA towards making this project a reality. Our state members and candidates have all been extremely supportive, as has the City of Melville Mayor George Gear (which makes for a very pleasing change from previous years), but disappointingly when it comes time to work with the staff concerned, we are yet to see any positive steps taken and the reserve continues to be left on the outer.
You can listen to the interview from January 30th 2021 via the link below.
A full version of the day’s SMCA Radio Show along with more recent releases is available here.