FEBRUARY 6, 2018 \ STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
NEWS + SPORT + PROPERTY GUIDE
Sports courts fall short By Serena Seyfort
See you on the flip side
(Dennis Manktelow)
Macedon Ranges urgently requires more sports courts to cater for increased participation and population growth, a new study reveals. The council’s recently released Regional Sports Hub Feasibility Study has revealed a current shortage of two sports courts and predicts this deficit will rise to 16 by 2036, if no new courts are added to the existing eight available courts. The study suggests building a new 4-6 court indoor sports hub on the corner of Barringo and Hamilton roads in New Gisborne in the short term, as well as court expansions at current facilities in Kyneton, Woodend, Gisborne, Romsey and Riddells Creek across the next 20 years. The proposed indoor sports hub would be located on the same site as the netball complex and cater for netball, basketball, futsal, volleyball and badminton training and competitions and recreation classes such as dance and community events. It would be dependent on funding from the council, state and federal governments, and cost at least $15.5 million in the first stage and another $10.2 million in a second stage. Macedon Ranges council is calling for public feedback on the suggested hub’s location, design and staged works. The Regional Sports Hub Feasibility Study was funded by the federal government and conducted by Otium Planning Group in consultation with a reference group made up of members of local sports clubs in late 2017. In December, spokesperson for the reference group Megan Condron told Star Weekly the group was “really happy” with the consultants’ recommendations. Mayor Jennifer Anderson has encouraged everyone to have their say on the outcome of the study. “This study is about developing a shared vision with the community and ensuring that everyone benefits from what is proposed,” Cr Anderson said. Feedback must be provided by 5pm on February 20. To view the study and provide comment visit mrsc.vic.gov.au/yoursay or a council centre.
A pancake stall will pop up inside Gisborne Village shopping centre on Saturday to raise money to help people living in crisis. Volunteers from Gisborne Uniting Church will be flipping pancakes and selling them for gold-coin donations from 9.30am to 12.30pm. UnitingCare co-ordinator Maree Clarke said it would be the team’s 15th year running the fundraiser. “It’s a great way for us to get together, have something good to eat and help others at the same time,” she said. All money from the pancakes sales will go towards Uniting Vic.Tas, a community service organisation that supports people at risk of, and already experiencing, financial crisis, homelessness, mental illness and problems with alcohol and drugs in Victoria and Tasmania. Since the Gisborne community begun its Pancake Day Appeal in 2003, more than $5000 has been raised to help fund local projects. The Pancake Day Appeal is inspired by Shrove Tuesday in the Christian calendar, which falls on Tuesday, February, 13 this year. For more inforomation, contact Maree on 5428 3852. BEV GILBERTSON AND MAREE CLARKE
Serena Seyfort