Oval ready for season debut
A proud John Rochford, president of the Neerim South recreation reserve committee of management, and Steve Vincent, the treasurer, looked over the redeveloped oval last week from the spectator vantage point in front over the clubhouse and dressing rooms.
Lying in front of them was the lush green mat of grass that covered the oval, a 180-metre long concrete retaining wall stabilising the embankment on the north-west side, new AFL standard goal posts and new coaches, interchange stewards and timekeepers’ boxes.
“The best viewing area for football in the Ellinbank and District Football League,” Mr Rochford boasted from the main spectator area.
Few that visit for matches will not regard it as an idle boast.
It wasn’t quite job done, though.
That will be on Friday when Baw Baw Shire officially hands back management of the reserve to the committee and contractors move in to remove the safety fencing erected around the surrounds of the ground.
Then the big day on Saturday.
That’s when the Neerim Neerim South Football Club teams – “The Cats” or simply South to most of its followers – run out to christen the ground with its first home game.
Mr Rochford and Mr Vincent are expecting a big crowd for the clashes with Poowong on Saturday.
The community has been right behind the project and they expect many people from the district, not just the regular football and netball followers of the club, to see their new ground “go live”.
It has been hard and many hours of work and planning by the committee of management, and the committees that preceded it, discussing and negotiating with Baw Baw Shire and seeking grants to bring the almost $1.1 million project to completion.
The State government provided $250,000, the AFL $70,000 and the balance and lion’s share by the shire.
The oval, MCG size Mr Rochford points out, also has a pop-up irrigation system and new drainage installed.
And the grass surface sits on a 150 millimetres sand base, he adds.
As well as the NNS senior football club’s four teams the ground will also be used by the Neerim District junior club’s three sides, the Neerim District Cricket Club and the primary and secondary schools at Neerim South.
Saturday’s football matches can’t come quickly enough for all associated with the club, especially the players, and the community that have watched progress with interest since contractors started work in November 2019.
As Mr Rochford put it:“Some of the older blokes who were going to hang up their boots have said they’ll run around for another season” now they’ve seen the quality of the oval.”