Kyabram Football Netball Club president Peter Learmonth will campaign to put control of the Kyabram Recreation Reserve and its facilities, including the Wilf Cox Community Complex, back in the hands of a local committee of management.
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Learmonth was inspired to act after his club received a rental bill from Campaspe Shire while the club is not using the facility because of the restrictions imposed due to coronavirus.
‘‘I think it’s pretty ordinary (asking for rent) when we are not using the facility. We need it back under local control. It’s a ridiculous situation,’’ Learmonth said.
Learmonth pointed out that the neighbouring City of Greater Shepparton and Moira Shire had waived rental fees for reserves under their control until they were being utilised again.
City of Greater Shepparton Mayor Seema Abdullah said her council had an obligation to support sport.
Campaspe Shire chief executive Declan Moore said ‘‘a report will be presented to a council meeting in the coming months to consider the impact on clubs and organisations and what support and relief might be available to them’’.
Learmonth said his club needed compensation now and ‘‘not in the coming months".
The shire took over the management of the recreation reserve and its facilities, including the Wilf Cox complex, in 2014.
Up to then it was under control of a local Wilf Cox committee of management group.
The shire also claimed $10 000 the committee had in reserve at the time of the changeover to do further improvements and maintenance at the complex.
‘‘We were promised new tables and chairs (for the Wilf Cox complex) at the time. We got the tables, but we are still waiting on the chairs,’’ Kyabram Football Netball Club secretary Penny Newman said.
After the shire takeover, the club had to lobby to regain some profits from liquor sales at functions in the Wilf Cox complex, as it held the liquor licence.
But the cost of renting the complex has scared off many would-be users and greatly restricted revenue from the facility.
Newman said her club’s rental charges were paid to the shire in two instalments — $17 500 on January 1 and $11 000 on July 1.
The club has not paid the January instalment although it has received the rental bill from the shire.
Kyabram Cricket Club president Tim Nelson said his club would also be favour of returning to a local management situation.
‘‘I’m not saying the council hasn’t done a reasonably good job, but the recreation reserve is a sacred place for the local sporting community and locals proud of this fact would be better off managing it,’’ Nelson said.
