9.2 Rieschiecks Reserve-Naming of the Athletics Track as Tom Kelly Athletics Track

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1 9.2 Rieschiecks Reserve-Naming of the Athletics Track as Tom Kelly Athletics Track Responsible Director: Director Planning & Environment File No. 000 The ultimate destination for this report is: COUNCIL AGENDA Neither the responsible Director, Manager nor the Officer authoring this report has a conflict of interest in this matter. SUMMARY Manningham Council has one athletics facility which is located at Rieschiecks Reserve, Doncaster East. The athletics community has requested to formally name the athletics facility within Rieschiecks Reserve to Tom Kelly Athletics Track in honour and in memory of their longstanding (35 years) volunteer coach and mentor at Doncaster Athletics Club. Mr. Kelly coached at the Doncaster athletics track virtually every day and served as a committee member at Doncaster Athletics Club for many years. Mr. Kelly was awarded Life Membership at the club in 1994 and his involvement extended from children wanting to improve at a club level to State squad members training for National Championships competition. The request is consistent with Council s Naming of Reserves Policy as Mr. Kelly made a significant and continuing contribution to community life and his name is synonymous with Doncaster athletics track. Doncaster Athletics Club has requested the official naming of the athletics track to coincide with the reopening of the track after resurfacing works on 14 March The policy of naming reserves includes placing public notices in local newspapers and this action will delay the renaming to a later date. 1. BACKGROUND 1.1. Council has been supporting athletics in Manningham since the athletics track was built in It is known colloquially as Doncaster Athletics Track and is a very popular regional facility open to the public all hours. The athletics facility is well regarded on a local, club and regional level by the athletics community for casual use, school carnivals, club training and competition and state level competition. 2. PROPOSAL/ISSUE 2.1. It is proposed to formally name the athletics facility after a long time volunteer, coach, mentor and personality, Tom Kelly, Tom Kelly Athletics Track. The following excerpt is taken from Little Athletics Victoria s website and is a typical reflection of Mr. Kelly found in many other obituaries written about him. Tom s involvement in the sport of athletics as both an athlete and coach traversed a wide variety of organisations and personnel. His initial involvement in athletics, representing both Ireland and Australia, saw him win an international marathon in Korea in 1961 representing Box Hill Athletic Club. Tom s involvement as a coach was initially at Box Hill. For the last 35 years, Tom was involved with Doncaster where he virtually coached at the track every day, teaching athletes a variety of disciplines including sprinting, hurdles and middle/long distance events. Tom has also served as a committee PAGE 267 Item No: 9.2

2 member at Doncaster for many years. He was Cross Country, A-Grade, Interclub and State League Team Manager, which included all of Tom s trimmings being advisor, counsellor, driver, psychiatrist and jack of all trades. Tom was awarded Life Membership in Tom s commitment to Little Athletics was also extensive. He was involved in the Junior Development Squad for many years and trained our State Squad members prior to National Championship competition. Tom was always involved in the JDS Camp in January at Melbourne University and would assist at clinics and carnivals regularly. He was one of the most flexible coaches because of his array of knowledge. His coaching prowess led him to countless state, national and international titles in conjunction with his army of athletes throughout his proud, passionate and determined association on and off the track There are no issues with the implementation of this proposal except the requested timing to coincide with the track reopening in mid March The placing of public notices to invite comments from interested people will require the naming to be a later date An option is to time the official naming with the first year anniversary of Mr. Kelly s passing on 16 September This would also coincide with the commencement of Athletics Victoria AV Shield summer competition (often held at Doncaster) for the 2014 athletics track and field season. It would also be a meaningful commemoration of Mr Kelly s life as a significant milestone for Mr. Kelly s family. Public notices would be completed and new signage for the athletics track could be organised by this time if funds were allocated from the signage budget 2014/ Signage will need to be upgraded as part of the naming. This is due to be replaced throughout the entire Reserve as part of the implementation of Rieschiecks Reserve Management Plan Currently money in the capital works program for this project commences in 2016/ PRIORITY/TIMING 3.1. The athletics track is closed temporarily for programmed works between 9 December 2013 and 14 March Doncaster Athletics Club has suggested the reopening of the newly resurfaced track to coincide with the renaming of the athletics facility. This time does not allow for the necessary process to be completed, including installation of new signage. 4. POLICY/PRECEDENT IMPLICATIONS 4.1. While Council s policy ENV12.5 Naming of Reserves refers directly to reserves, there is no specific mention of the naming of facilities within reserves. Council s policy ENV12.5 Naming of Reserves states the following: Reserves will be named after locations rather than Councillors or original landowners, except where a significant and continuing contribution to community life or contribution to history has been demonstrated. Council will decide on the name for a reserve after consideration of submissions from local residents in the case of neighbourhood or local parks and from any interested people or organisations in the case of regional or sports reserves It is considered by numerous members of the athletics community that Mr. Kelly made an exceptional contribution to community life over a long period of PAGE 268 Item No: 9.2

3 time. The letters of support (attachment 1) reveal passionate pleas to name the athletics facility in his honour Although very common in other municipalities, the only known precedent of a facility within a reserve named after a person in Manningham is WJ Montgomery Pavilion at Koonung Park Other than Thompsons Road Reserve renamed to Ted Ajani Reserve (former Councillor) and Saxon Reserve renamed to JW Thomson Reserve (former Council employee), there are few examples of renaming reserves after people There are numerous examples of reserves being named (in the first instance) after previous landowners (e.g. Zerbes, Pettys, Rieschiecks, Colman, Schramms) and a former Councillor and prominent resident (Alan Morton Reserve) The requested naming of the athletics track could therefore, be perceived as setting a precedent. While not a common request, there has been one known request (renaming oval 1 at Donvale Reserve in 2001) that was not supported. The high calibre of Mr. Kelly s commitment to community life on all levels is a sound justification for the naming of the facility. 5. CUSTOMER/COMMUNITY IMPACT 5.1. Mr. Kelly is respected widely for his long standing dedication and commitment to athletics on all levels. The Doncaster Athletics Club s proposal together with support from: Doncaster Little Athletics Centre (co tenants at Rieschiecks Reserve athletics facility); Victorian Masters, Doncaster Venue (co tenants at Rieschiecks Reserve athletics facility); Athletics Victoria; and Mr. Kelly s family (refer to Attachment 1) Attachment 2 contains a further 20 letters of support from families coached by Tom Kelly 6. FINANCIAL RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS 6.1. Sufficient financial resources (approximately $4000) to upgrade the signage for the athletics facility only at Rieschiecks Reserve can be allocated from 2014/15 capital works program City Signage program budget. 7. SUSTAINABILITY 7.1. There are no environmental or economic impacts associated with this request The long term social impact of this proposal is that there would always be a meaningful link to Mr. Kelly s life honouring his dedication and commitment to athletics on all levels. 8. REGIONAL/STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS 8.1. There are no strategic implications in proposed naming of the track. Located in Doncaster East, it is colloquially known as Doncaster Athletics Track. It is anticipated that people would get to know the track as the Tom Kelly Athletics Track fairly easily There are many reserves, sports pavilions and other facilities named after people in Melbourne. The following athletics facilities are some of those facilities in Melbourne that are named after people: PAGE 269 Item No: 9.2

4 9. CONSULTATION Hagenauer Reserve (Box Hill Athletics Club) Bill Sewart Athletics Track, Burwood East Reserve (Nunawading Athletics Club) George Knott Athletics Track (Collingwood Athletics Club) AC Robertson Field, Proclamation Park (Ringwood Athletic Club) 9.1. Many parents of athletes who Mr. Kelly coached have sent in letters of support and Doncaster Athletics Club has met formally with the previous Mayor (Cr. Yang) and Council officers to discuss this proposal. Further letters of support have been received from Doncaster Little Athletics Centre, Doncaster Masters Athletics, Mr. Kelly s family and Athletics Victoria. 10. COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY In accordance with Council policy ENV12.5 Naming of Reserves, public notices will be placed in local newspapers inviting comments from interested people on a proposed naming of the athletics facility Letters will also be sent to interested organisations and abutting land owners advising them of the proposed naming Family and people who have sent in letters of support and athletics clubs will also be contacted regarding Council s decision There would also be publicity conducted on a wider scale (Manningham Matters, Leader newspaper, Herald Sun) to celebrate the official naming The new name will be updated on mapping information, including Melways in their annual update. 11. CONCLUSION For many years Mr. Kelly has had a huge impact on people s lives, especially young people competing in athletics and aspiring to fulfil athletic dreams at a higher level. If the athletics facility at Rieschiecks Reserve is named in his honour Mr. Kelly will continue to have an impact on people s lives as his memory will be permanently honoured. It is therefore appropriate to name the athletics facility after such a highly respected community member. OFFICER S RECOMMENDATION That Council (A) (B) (C) Endorses public exhibition of its intention to name the athletics track at Rieschiecks Reserve as the Tom Kelly Athletics Track. Notes that any submissions received will be reported back to Council as part of finalising Council s decision. Note that people who sent in letters of support for the naming of the facility will be informed of Council s decision. PAGE 270 Item No: 9.2

5 MOVED: SECONDED: YANG KLEINERT That the Recommendation be adopted. CARRIED DIVISION A Division having been demanded the Council divided as follows: FOR (9): Councillors Gough, Kleinert, Yang, Haynes, O Brien, Downie, McLeish, Galbally & Grivokostopoulos. AGAINST (0): Nil. THE MOTION WAS DECLARED CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY Refer Attachments Attachment 1: Attachment 2: Request to name the athletics facility from Doncaster Athletics Club Support to name the athletics facility from interested people * * * * * PAGE 271 Item No: 9.2

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