Victoria Park to become new community hub

[Master Q]

COLLINGWOOD’S presence at Victoria Park will continue to grow over the next year with plans to establish a major community centre in the Bob Rose Social Club building.

The club’s submission to turn the old building into a community hub has been granted by the Yarra Council, with works expected to extend over the next six months.

The Pies will be the head tenants of the centre, with several not-for-profit organisations and service providers to sub lease.

Collingwood president Eddie McGuire said the project would be the centrepiece of the plans to open up the former home ground of the club and create a central community base.

“[The building] will now be filled with community activities, which will mean that every person that lives in this area, all the kids from the commission flats, all the community around here, will come to Victoria Park like they’ve done since 1892 with hope in their heart and dreams in their minds,” he said on Thursday.

“We want to make this a place where kids will come and play sport first, but we also want to connect up with the [Collingwood] Children’s Farm and the convent.

“When we finally open up this area, we want to have facilities for people to come down and watch the Pies play as well as have farmers’ markets and things for kids.”

The ground, where Collingwood last played in 1999, was all but abandoned before the federal government and Yarra Council pledged $7.2 million to beautify the area and open the ground up for community use in May this year.

The Magpies also reclaimed it as the home ground for their VFL side this season.

The new project has the backing of the council and mayor Jane Garrett, while $1 million has been donated by the Pratt Foundation to get the redevelopment running.

“The money donated today will go towards refurbishing this centre to stand as a pinnacle as what communities can do, not only coming together for a good cause, but to enrich the lives of so many people who have been left behind,” McGuire said.

“We want to inspire kids to learn through education, through legal aid, health services, and pulling them all together so rather than having them in disparate areas, let’s make Victoria Park what it’s always been - a focal point of the community.”

Disadvantaged young people, indigenous Australians and the wider community are expected to benefit from the community hub, which will include space for local activities.

McGuire said the club was pleased to announce the strengthening of its bond with the spiritual home of the Magpies in the week leading into its grand final clash with St Kilda.

Thoughts? Good Idea or Is Eddie Just Playing With His Money?