Oval project scaled down to meet budget

A contract has been awarded to undertake major upgrade works at the Neerim South Recreation Reserve, but the project will not deliver a tiered embankment preferred by community members.

A budget shortfall has forced Baw Baw Shire Council to reassess the project and proceed with original plans for a single embankment that will improve safety and complete the works in conjunction with the oval renovation.

Crs Peter Kostos and Darren Wallace proposed council increase its funding allocation to enable a tiered embankment, but fellow councillors did not support the motion.

Council awarded the $1.07 million contract to A1 Civil Pty Ltd and decided to deliver a modified scope to ensure the project remained within budget.

Council received external funding to upgrade the oval playing surface, irrigation and drainage including $250,000 from the state government and $70,000 from AFL Victoria.

Council has allocated $700,000 for the oval upgrade which also will see the existing synthetic cricket wicket surface upgraded, a new chain mesh perimeter fence installed and new AFL standard football goals.

A further $485,000 was allocated to enable 190 metre of retaining wall to be constructed to address embankment safety issues.

The retaining wall and oval were tendered as one package of works.

After community consultation on the preferred project design, the retaining wall structure was tendered as a multi-tier wall to enable better spectator viewing.

However, the proposed works were $182,000 over budget.

Community members called on council to fund the shortfall and deliver a tiered embankment.

Neerim South recreation reserve president John Rochford said fixing the embankment had been a top priority for the committee.

He said delaying the embankment upgrade would mean more disruption to the sporting clubs when works were undertaken at a later date.

NSRR secretary Steve Vincent said the project had created a lot of excitement in the town.

Mr Vincent said the original plan was for a single wall embankment and then through consultation the idea for a tiered wall was developed.

“If extra money is not made available we will have to reduce the project that yes will be more stable but visually and aesthetically doesn’t create that arena environment.

“We have displayed the plans and the community is excited about this development. We want the outcome to look very similar to the visual image that we have presented to the community,” he said.

Cr Kostos recommended council consider extra funding for the multi-tiered embankment during its mid year budget review.

Cr Wallace supported the move, saying it made sense to do all the works in one hit rather than revisiting the retaining wall further down the track.

“To do the project in one hit would be a wonderful outcome for the community,” he said.

Cr Joe Gauci said council agreed to pay for the retaining wall works but at that stage the project had not been scoped.

He said if the difference had been $20,000 he would have accepted it, but $182,000 meant it was being brough forward and another project would miss out.

Cr Gauci said proceeding with a modified project was a fair outcome

Cr Dany Goss said the tiered embankment was not part of the original scope and $182,000 was a lot of money.

“When I stood for council I argued strongly for responsible spending of money. To spend it on the run is not the way I prefer to do business,” he said.