In a recent statement on Facebook, Zoe McKenzie, the Liberal candidate for Flinders, announced a significant pledge for the upgrade of the Somerville Recreation Reserve. The Reserve, home to 49 sporting teams across cricket, football, and netball, will receive a $5 million investment if a Dutton Coalition Government is elected.
Describing the Reserve as a hub of community spirit, McKenzie highlighted its importance to local families.
“Some of our sporting clubs are the very embodiment of our community spirit. Somerville Recreation Reserve is one such place,” she said. “Generations have played here, and even when families have moved beyond the Peninsula, they still return to be with their club.”
McKenzie, who has been in close communication with local sporting clubs and their leaders, noted her long history with the Reserve, dating back to her first candidacy for Flinders in 2022. She praised the dedication of figures like Somerville Cricket Club’s Peter Alp and emphasized her commitment to the area.
The proposed upgrades will focus on modernising aging facilities, which are said to be “from the last century.” The Reserve houses several facilities, including cricket practice nets, six tennis courts, two netball courts, three pavilions, two playgrounds, an oval, a Scout Hall, public toilets, and a bowls club. Many of these are in desperate need of renovation.
McKenzie’s announcement is framed in the context of the growing demand for sporting and recreational spaces in the area, with population increases expected to further strain existing resources. The upgrades aim to provide modern facilities that will help foster physical activity and support the development of future sporting talent.
“This commitment by the Coalition will enable that to happen in this fast-growing part of the Mornington Peninsula,”
McKenzie said, also stressing that better facilities would promote physical activity and contribute to the overall health and wellbeing of the community.
Zoe McKenzie will face competition in the upcoming race for the seat of Flinders from Labor’s Sarah Race and Independent Ben Smith.
The funding pledge has already sparked interest among local residents, particularly those who have been long advocating for improvements to the Reserve, which serves as a focal point for Somerville’s sporting and community life.
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