Ruby and her owner Kate frolic in the open space Footscray Park on Saturday.Credit:Chris Hopkins
Occupying the entire flat parkland to the west of the park,which hosts annual events such as Laneway Festival and New Year’s Eve fireworks,the complex would include three floodlit,synthetic and turf soccer pitches,six change rooms and a 500-person stand.
However,residents say they are concerned that one of their suburb's largest off-lead dog walking and recreation areas will be confined to a walking path around the pitches,with few guarantees on benefits for the wider community.
Sharon Schwab,whose online petition against the plan has more than 1900 signatures,said she opposed the concept of a private development on public land.
“Footscray Park is not a large-scale park filled with numerous flat open recreational spaces,"Ms Schwab said."It’s mostly hilly parkland that cascades down to the Maribyrnong River.
An artist's impression of the three pitches that would be the new base for Victory's women's and youth teams.
“Council’s proposal to lease our park’s only flat open recreational space will leave nowhere for the community to go that is suitable for non-organised sports,general recreation and large gatherings for the community.”
Maribyrnong council CEO Stephen Wall said the academy would be a “great thing for young people” and “having recreation facilities that can come to our city with external funding is certainly a positive".