Cardinia Shire Council has awarded the construction tender for the Toomuc Recreation Reserve sports pavilions upgrade project.
The $6.3 million project involves upgrading three pavilions and the little athletics building.
The northern pavilion upgrade will extend the ground floor to include universal design amenities and changerooms for the football and cricket clubs, separate facilities for the netball club, a renovated canteen, first aid room, extra storage, and a balcony extension on the upper level.
The southern pavilion will have accessible amenities and changerooms, public toilets including an accessible toilet, a first aid room, storage, an upgraded kitchen, and other improvements.
The baseball pavilion will include accessible toilets, a canteen, office, umpire rooms, decking and accessible ramps and paths.
The little athletics building upgrade involves refurbishing the kitchen and improvements to storage and access.
Cardinia Shire Council Mayor Councillor Brett Owen said Council places great importance on encouraging sport and recreation in the shire.
"Toomuc Recreation Reserve is a popular recreational facility in the shire and these upgrades will cater to the growing needs of sporting groups and enhance accessibility for the large number of families who use the reserve.
"Council thanks the Australian and Victorian Governments and Sports Australia for their contributions to this upgrade project," Cr Owen said.
Toomuc Ward Councillor Stephanie Davies said the announcement of the construction tender being awarded was welcome news for sporting clubs and residents alike.
"After the upgrade project, we expect Toomuc Reserve to be used even more by local sporting groups. This project is a great example of what can be achieved when community groups, federal, state and local government collaborate and work together in genuine partnership," Cr Davies said.
Federal MP Jason Wood has hurled his support behind Toomuc Recreation Reserve sports pavillions upgrade project, describing the ageing facilities as totally unacceptable.
"My first visit alongside budding netball players, I watched as about 100 young girls languished in torrential rain while waiting to get changed. The seniors club needs a major upgrade and renovations but the real eye-opener was the junior teams. They've got no showers, no facilities and it was bucketing down with rain. Once their training finished, they were lining up outside in the rain, waiting to get changed – and that is totally unacceptable" Mr Wood said.
"Little athletics, cricket, and baseball toilets were not even operational and the volunteers were working out of a small shed. I vowed to secure federal funding and was very proud to have secured a massive $4.5 million, and with work to start in March, there will be a lot of excitement at the club, especially for the hard-working volunteers, parents and players who have put up with very bad facilities," Mr Wood said.
The project will be funded with $4.75 million from the Australian Government including $250,000 from the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program, $500,000 from Sport Australia, $50,000 from the Victorian Government and $1.5 million from Cardinia Shire Council.
Construction is expected to start in March 2021 and be completed by December 2021.
Toomuc Recreation Reserve is located on Princes Highway, Pakenham.
