giantroo
24 Apr 2007, 17:02
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Latest News
Fury as footy clubs left dry
Brad Ryand and Michael Rogers
24Apr07
THOMASTOWN and Lalor football clubs have lashed out at Whittlesea Council for refusing to help them deal with losing the use of their grounds to drought.
The two senior Diamond Valley Football League clubs, as well as junior clubs Lalor, Lalor Stars and Lalor West, look likely to be banned from playing on their grounds for the season, but said they had been kept in the dark about the issue.
The clubs said calls to the council weren't being returned, requests for meetings had been rejected and information about their grounds had been kept secret.
Lalor president Paul Honey said the council was ``not willing to work with us in any way at all''.
``We could go under over this,'' he said.
Thomastown football manager Allan Fleming said the situation was ``ridiculous''.
``We shouldn't have to go into recess but we'll have to make special arrangements, which is why we need to be told what's going on,'' Mr Fleming said.
Both clubs said they would struggle to cope with the blow to player morale, lack of sponsors and lost clubroom sales while still needing to pay for food and liquor licences.
They said they had offered to truck in and pay for their own water.
``The council doesn't realise the impact not having footy is going to have on these kids,'' Mr Honey said.
``It's all right for the council to use all the recycled water on the Growling Frog Golf Course, the 31/2 megalitres a week.''
About 90 Lalor players and committee members attended the council's meeting last week along with several from Thomastown in a desperate bid for answers.
Councillors resolved to ask the State Government to loosen restrictions on watering grounds, but did not answer questions submitted by the clubs at the meeting, saying responses would be sent in writing.
Council infrastructure director Neill Hocking said the clubs had been kept informed and updates were posted on the DVFL website.
``Council met with the Lalor club and had a number of telephone contacts with the Thomastown club and the DVFL,'' he said.
``Clubs have been aware of the situation for four months.''
Cr John Fry said poor soil and clay had made some Whittlesea grounds particularly hard to maintain.
Diamond Valley Football League football operations manager Lee Hartman said the fixture would need to be changed. ``We'll try to keep the matches on the same days and times, but just on different grounds,'' he said.
This is pathetic by the council in not helping clubs.
Latest News
Fury as footy clubs left dry
Brad Ryand and Michael Rogers
24Apr07
THOMASTOWN and Lalor football clubs have lashed out at Whittlesea Council for refusing to help them deal with losing the use of their grounds to drought.
The two senior Diamond Valley Football League clubs, as well as junior clubs Lalor, Lalor Stars and Lalor West, look likely to be banned from playing on their grounds for the season, but said they had been kept in the dark about the issue.
The clubs said calls to the council weren't being returned, requests for meetings had been rejected and information about their grounds had been kept secret.
Lalor president Paul Honey said the council was ``not willing to work with us in any way at all''.
``We could go under over this,'' he said.
Thomastown football manager Allan Fleming said the situation was ``ridiculous''.
``We shouldn't have to go into recess but we'll have to make special arrangements, which is why we need to be told what's going on,'' Mr Fleming said.
Both clubs said they would struggle to cope with the blow to player morale, lack of sponsors and lost clubroom sales while still needing to pay for food and liquor licences.
They said they had offered to truck in and pay for their own water.
``The council doesn't realise the impact not having footy is going to have on these kids,'' Mr Honey said.
``It's all right for the council to use all the recycled water on the Growling Frog Golf Course, the 31/2 megalitres a week.''
About 90 Lalor players and committee members attended the council's meeting last week along with several from Thomastown in a desperate bid for answers.
Councillors resolved to ask the State Government to loosen restrictions on watering grounds, but did not answer questions submitted by the clubs at the meeting, saying responses would be sent in writing.
Council infrastructure director Neill Hocking said the clubs had been kept informed and updates were posted on the DVFL website.
``Council met with the Lalor club and had a number of telephone contacts with the Thomastown club and the DVFL,'' he said.
``Clubs have been aware of the situation for four months.''
Cr John Fry said poor soil and clay had made some Whittlesea grounds particularly hard to maintain.
Diamond Valley Football League football operations manager Lee Hartman said the fixture would need to be changed. ``We'll try to keep the matches on the same days and times, but just on different grounds,'' he said.
This is pathetic by the council in not helping clubs.