Two major projects were unveiled for the Cranbourne East community today, with the Hunt Club Recreation Reserve and Hunt Club Family and Community Centre officially opened.
The opening of the new recreation reserve and upgrades to the existing family and community centre will ensure the City of Casey can continue to cater to the rapidly growing community of Cranbourne East.
The $2 million redevelopment of the family and community centre included:
• The refurbishment of an existing kindergarten room
• A fourth kindergarten playroom
• Refurbishment of the existing maternal and child health consult
• A larger multi-purpose room
• Large outdoor/indoor storage space
• Family changeroom
• Two secure outdoor courtyards for the community.
The newly constructed recreation reserve next door, which will be the future home of the Casey Thunder Football Club, Carlisle Park Viking Cricket Club and Melbourne Crickeroos Cricket Club, includes:
• A pavilion with two female friendly changerooms and amenities, unisex umpires' rooms, a first aid room, public amenities (including female, male, unisex and accessible toilets), a community room with a kitchen and canteen facilities, a scorer's room and storage
• A public art project from artist Johnathon Leahy titled 'Move', taking the concept of sport and movement paired with heartbeat
• One full sized AFL oval and cricket pitch with floodlighting
• Three cricket practice nets
• A car park, electronic scoreboard and walking paths
• Playground, seating and shelter.
City of Casey Mayor Cr Stapledon said that the local community will have far greater access to critical programs and sporting activities as a result of these two facilities.
"The community of Cranbourne East and beyond will be further supported to lead an active lifestyle through participation in sporting and leisure activities, therefore improving the health and wellbeing outcomes of the entire community," she said.
"As a result of rapid growth across the municipality, but in particular in Cranbourne East, the City of Casey acknowledged the challenges and pressure being faced by the Hunt Club Family and Community Centre, and expanded its capacity so that it could continue to meet the community's needs."
These projects were delivered by the City of Casey in partnership with the Victorian Government, with funding through the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning's Growing Suburbs Fund.
The total cost of the recreation reserve was $4.7 million, with a $2.4 million contribution from the Victorian Government. The upgrades to the family and community centre totalled just over $2 million, with a $1 million contribution from the Victorian Government, matching $1 million from the City of Casey.
Photo caption: Malindra Fernando from the Melbourne Crickeroos Cricket Club, City of Casey Mayor Cr Amanda Stapledon, Member for Cranbourne Pauline Richards MP, Aaron Straughair from the Carlisle Park Cricket Club and Pam Rogers from the Casey Thunder Football Club all pictured at the new Hunt Club Recreation Reserve.
