By JUSTIN FLYNN
Concern for the future of Corio’s Flinders Peak reserve is growing.
The council originally gave the green light for an upgrade which would feature two rectangular sporting fields and the refurbishment of the currently disused former secondary school hall.
Funding had been allocated by the council but now the entire precinct’s future is uncertain after the council was sacked by the State Government in April.
It is believed the Department of Health has offered to purchase the land from the City of Greater Geelong.
Former Windermere Ward councillor Tony Ansett said he fought to retain the reserve as an open space while he was in office but was concerned the area would be used for residential properties.
“The primary school has been bulldozed, the secondary school has been bulldozed and scout hall closed and you can see that area has lost its infrastructure,” he said.
“It’s something that part of Corio really needs. If we lost it now, we’d have houses running into that space.”
The reserve is currently used by the Geelong Rams rugby union club and the nearby Geelong Buccaneers American Football Club which hopes to use the reserve if the upgrades go ahead.
Life. Be In It has also expressed a desire to utilise the former secondary school hall which would be refurbished under a proposal put forward by the council before was it sacked.
Buccaneers’ president Chris Reynon said his club was desperate to relocate to Flinders Peak to strengthen its growing stature in the community.
“We are aiming to become more of a sports club than just an American Football club,” he said.
“We have 50 netball members who play in three junior and one senior team.
“One of our main concerns is that there has been a budget allocated to this but we are concerned it won’t go ahead and miss out altogether.
“It’s been allocated so let’s do something about it.”
Mr Ansett said he hoped the huge reserve could accommodate both housing and the sporting precinct. “Why should the north get a constant bashing?” he said.
“Now I’m no longer on council, I’m hearing whispers we might lose it.”
