At its meeting last Wednesday, September 25, the Moira Shire Council administration passed a motion to contribute up to $80,000 towards installing new LED lights at Cobram’s Scott Reserve.
Moira Shire Council Chair Administrator Graeme Emonson said by any measure, the existing lighting at Scott Reserve was substandard.
“I’m happy to be supporting this motion as an opportunity to leverage some council funding to address a long-standing issue,” he said.
The sentiment was echoed by Administrator Suzanna Sheed, who said Scott Reserve was an important piece of infrastructure.
“[The lighting project] extends the capacity for the oval to be operated at night, but also to be used much more extensively by other groups who need to be there later,” she said.
But Cobram Football Netball Club president Mick Hoban said the state of the lighting at the reserve represented an issue of occupational health and safety.
“There’s going to be an accident there,” he said.
“You ... can’t imagine how it can’t happen.”
The lighting project has been budgeted to cost a total of $364,898.
Following the motion’s passing, council administrators authorised council chief executive Matt Morgan to submit a grant application to Sport and Recreation Victoria.
Sport and Recreation Victoria’s Country Football and Netball Program provides grants worth up to $250,000 to successful applicants.
Moira Shire Council has confirmed a grant application was submitted before the deadline, and expect to know about its outcome by December.
The state of the poor lighting at Scott Oval was highlighted in the AFL Goulburn Murray Regional Football and Netball Facilities Strategy 2024-34 released in early September.