As well as boasting the highest number of footballers in the west, Wyndham has the facilities to match, a report has found.
The AFL Victoria-led draft Western Metropolitan Football Facilities Strategy, tabled at Wyndham council’s meeting on Monday night, states the region has 4205 registered footballers.
Next on the list was Melton with 2924, followed by Brimbank (2345), Hobsons Bay (2014) and Maribyrnong (1298).
Of 64 western suburbs reserves assessed, Wyndham’s rated the highest, taking into account change rooms, umpire facilities, social rooms and oval quality.
Wyndham Vale South Reserve, home of the Wyndhamvale Football Club, rated highest across the five local government areas, receiving a score of 90 per cent. Keilor Park Recreation Reserve was a close second with a healthy 89 per cent.
But it wasn’t positive news right across Wyndham, with Price Reserve in Werribee South scoring poorly. Lacking umpire facilities and receiving low marks for showers, irrigation and fencing, the reserve scored 41 per cent.
Werribee’s Chirnside Park received 67 per cent, a figure likely to increase after a planned redevelopment by a partnership of Wyndham council, the state government, AFL Victoria and Werribee Football Club.
The lowest-rated reserves in the west were Errington Reserve in St Albans and Scovell Reserve in Maidstone, both scoring 33 per cent.
Wyndham chief executive Kelly Grigsby said the council was committed to having quality recreation and sports facilities to encourage participation in sport.
“While most ovals and reserves in Wyndham meet AFL Victoria’s criteria, areas which may need improvement are older facilities requiring larger social areas and unisex change rooms,” she said.
Since 2009, she added, the council had been building unisex change rooms and umpire facilities, which supported the development of women’s football.
