News
Community fights to save beloved Kialla West tennis courts from redevelopment
Uncertainty surrounds the future of a local community’s shared space following the application — and then withdrawal — of a planning permit.
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Greater Shepparton City Council had been working with the Shepparton Radio Control Car Club to find it a new home after being forced to relocate from Numurkah Rd in Shepparton due to the Munarra Centre development.
The Kialla West tennis courts had been proposed as the new site for the club, and a planning permit had been submitted.
A member of the community said they got an email alert from planningalerts.com, and made a post about it on the Kialla West community Facebook page asking if anyone else had heard about the redevelopment, but nobody knew anything about it.
Community members contacted council and Mayor Shane Sali, and began petitions in an effort to save their courts.
The planning permit has since been withdrawn.
The SRCCC confirmed they did not withdraw the application and said the club would be submitting a new planning application for the redevelopment of the courts.
Louis John Tuckett was born and raised in Kialla West, and has a lane named after him off Bennetts Rd.
Mr Tuckett quite literally had his fingerprints on everything in Kialla West, including the community tennis courts and oval.
“I worked on these courts, the preparation, putting the fence up, water pipes under the oval, the planting of the trees and the pavilion,” he said.
“My father was a war veteran and he wanted the best for the younger generation, so he donated money to build the courts and I did as well.”
Mr Tuckett, just like the rest of the Kialla West community, was shocked to find out via a Facebook post that the community could be losing the courts.
“I’m very disappointed; my kids played here, I’ve got a grandchild who if it’s not here will say to me ‘Pa, why can’t I play tennis here?’ and I won’t be able to answer him,” Mr Tuckett said.
Mr Tuckett said he was not against the SRCCC moving to Kialla West, but asked why it could not just be put next to the oval with concrete and jumps or whatever the club required.
“When I was at school here (Kialla West) there were seven kids, now there’s three or four hundred, it’s all going to go in generations. The kids will play on the courts, but not if they’re gone; if they go, we’ll never get them again,” he said.
“We’ve already got them, we worked very hard back then to get them, we had a committee and everything, meeting, dealing with the council and all this stuff, and now they want to take it away, just on someone’s whim.
“Why us, why here? The younger generation is up and coming now. There’s no good waiting, a lot of people work and can’t take their kids to other courts, but now they can just ride down.
“There’s a lot more we’re going to lose compared to what we’re going to gain, and we’ll never get it back.”
Other community members have their say:
Melissa Walsh:
“The tennis courts need to stay because we want to encourage children, adults, anyone, to be physical and get out and about off the TV screen.
“I’m also concerned about bringing the radio club here, there’s going to be a lot more people here. I like my kids to be able to walk around the neighbourhood with their friends, and not be too concerned because there’s not lots of traffic — that’s why we moved out here.”
Deanne O’Keefe:
“I’m really disappointed the council didn’t take the time to consult anybody — there was not a letter drop, nothing. To find out via a Facebook page is pretty disappointing.
“I’ve been a ratepayer here for 23 years. I know my rates, it’s a considerable amount of money they’re taking from us, for a minimal amount of upkeep they do here. That in itself I find a bit ironic, that they’re worried about the lack of upkeep when they haven’t done anything.”
Elise O’Keefe:
“How can they expect us to use the courts and how can they say that we don’t use them when there’s no chance for us to because of how badly they’re kept, and because of how much effort the citizens of this estate put into fixing the court? There is only so much you can do. It’s a bit ridiculous.”
Kristy Tuckett:
“This is a developing community, a growing community, with a lot of young families, now’s not the time to remove an amenity, particularly a sporting amenity. I’d like to see further development like a basketball hoop and half- court markings.”
SRCCC secretary Ben Howard said the club was coming off a difficult few years due to the pandemic and limited land availability.
Mr Howard said that the club had intended to move elsewhere, but the location was no longer available.
“We’ve been at this stage before and nothing eventuated,” he said.
He understood the community’s grievances but believed the club could add value to the community, particularly for families with children.
“It’s an incredible subculture, a real family sport, often the kids get into it and then mum and dad start coming along, and then they all come together,” Mr Howard said.
Mr Howard was unaware of the community’s involvement in building the courts and hoped to turn the most concerned members into club members if they were lucky enough to move there.
The News put questions about the community’s concerns about the redevelopment of the courts and lack of consultation to council prior to the withdrawal of the planning permit.
“Consultation has occurred with the user group and as per the planning permit application process, council officers will undertake wider consultation with all user groups and local residents in due course,” a council spokesperson said.
“We cannot comment any further at this stage.”
Cadet Journalist