By LIA SPENCER
A SOCCER Club in Endeavour Hills is calling for more support from the Casey Council to fix the state of the pitch at James Cook Reserve.
The Endeavour Sporting Club has had to postpone home matches due to the lack of drainage at the reserve. The reserve is exposed to wet conditions due to a number of reasons including a lack of sun exposure in front of its pavilion.
Endeavour Sporting Club president Charles Geriesi has called for a remedy, so the club doesn’t receive fines by the Football Federation Victoria for the state of its pitch, and for moving home games from its home ground.
Narre Warren North MP Luke Donnellan has also called on the City of Casey to provide immediate funding to fix the flooding problems at James Cook Reserve.
“The City of Casey needs to bring forward funding from the 2014/15 drainage program to fix the pitch, so that Endeavour Sporting Club doesn’t need to continue to move home games,” Mr Donnellan.
But City of Casey manager of parks and reserves Trevor Griffin said the council rectified the problem and future works were planned for the reserve.
Mr Griffin said that after three consecutive days of rain, equalling about 34mm, council was contacted by the club.
“Due to the excess rain and fall of the pitch, water had run into two areas in the pitch surrounds while most of the pitch remained unaffected. Small areas of the pitch that did experience some excess water were able to be swept clear and made immediately safe for play.
Council also rectified the water issues along the eastern edge of the oval on the 28 and 29 May,” Mr Griffin said.
“James Cook Reserve is planned to have drainage works undertaken, subject to council approval, in the 2014/15 year. This will complement the $230,000 pavilion extension and upgrade completed in November 2011 at the reserve.”
Mr Griffin said the reserve was one of two used by the Endeavour Sporting Club. The other facility is Chalcot Lodge which has had $45,000 of drainage improvements carried out, and features a $600,000 pavilion which opened in September 2011. The club has been advised to use this facility from Saturday 8 June.
City of Casey manager sport and leisure Richard Amon said Football Federation Victoria (FFV) advised the council they had not issued any fines to the Endeavour Sporting Club for the state of the pitch at James Cook Reserve.
“FFV policy states that no fines are issued to either club if games are cancelled due to ground conditions,” Mr Amon said.
