Melbourne Victory’s plans to call Footscray Park home could be scrapped


Hundreds of people are expected to descend on Maribyrnong Council chambers on Tuesday to protest plans to develop Footscray Park.

Melbourne Victory received $10 million in State Government funding to help build an $18 million women’s and youth academy in the heritage-listed, public Footscray Park.

The plan, which includes three soccer pitches, six change rooms and a 500-person grandstand, has divided residents.

Recently formed resident action group Save Footscray Park says there was little consultation about the development, which will use up what little open space is left in the inner west and cause environmental damage.

Group member Gemma Cafarella lives a few kilometres from the park and uses it daily to walk her dog.

Ms Cafarella is not against expanding sporting opportunities in the west, but wants the pitches and academy built somewhere else.


“This is an icon of Footscray used by people right across the west; Kensington, Flemington, Yarraville, because there’s nowhere else to go,” she said.

She said the council only put up two signs outside of Footscray Park to notify people they could complete a survey about the masterplan on the Your City, Your Voice online portal.

But that portal closed months ago.

Maribyrnong Council chief executive Stephen Wall said 10 signs had been erected on Friday notifying people they could voice their concerns by emailing the council until August 16.

Mr Wall said there was a lot of misinformation about the plan being pushed by objectors and there was still a chance the entire plan could be scrapped.

“It will have no impact on the heritage listed part of the park or on the current events that happen in the park. The total park is 21 hectares, it’s a big piece of open space,” he said.

Ms Cafarella said Footscray Park was currently “a cool, relaxing place to go”, but three synthetic turf pitches would retain heat and not absorb rainwater — meaning during times of heavy rainfall, the Maribyrnong River would be more likely to flood.

And Ms Cafarella said the masterplan detailed Melbourne Victory would have exclusive usage of the park for up to 40 hours a week.

“And it will be after school and weekends when the public want to use the area,” she said.

Melbourne Victory chief executive Trent Jacobs said two pitches would be made of hybrid-synthetic turf, comprised of 95 per cent grass, and just 5 per cent synthetic, and one match pitch would be 100 per cent grass.

“Aesthetically you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference,” Mr Jacobs said.

“We recognise the site is on a floodplain. We have done work with Melbourne Water, they have been extensively briefed and have agreed to the project.”

Mr Jacobs said while the club would need the grounds to train during the evening, but “not everyday”, and there would be access for local schools and clubs “the vast majority of the day would be available”.

According to data from Roy Morgan, soccer is Australia’s fastest growing female sport.

Footscray father Henrik Steenberg coaches soccer in the west and said Melbourne Victory would help boost opportunities for girls and women to play soccer.

“Only 19 per cent of the park is being converted, this won’t stop it from being a park,” he said.

Mr Steenberg has lived within 500 metres of the park for 18 years and said it’s “extremely under-utilised”.

Mr Steenberg’s nine-year-old and 12-year-old daughters both play soccer but if they want to continue to an elite level, they will have to travel at least an hour to the eastern suburbs.

“The pathway for girls to progress in soccer isn’t there so someone investing in that is fantastic,” he said.

Mr Jacobs said Melbourne Victory planned on creating a “permanent relationship” with Maribyrnong Swifts.

To send feedback to the council send an email to cd@maribyrnong.vic.gov.au.