Melville City Football Club players training under lights at Winthrop Park.
Camera IconMelville City Football Club players training under lights at Winthrop Park. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Floodlights for

Emma ClaytonMelville Gazette

Winthrop Park, in Winthrop, and Alan Edwards Reserve, in Kardinya, were both lit up to extend the hours they could be used by sporting clubs.

Melville Mayor Russell Aubrey said increased levels of participation in sports meant that active sporting reserves across the City were nearing capacity.

"A significant challenge most built-up metropolitan local governments face is that participation levels for sport are increasing," he said.

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"In the City of Melville, winter sport participation has almost doubled, increasing from 3691 registered players in 2004 to 7361 in 2012.

"To be able to provide the sporting community with more playing hours on our existing fields, the installation of additional floodlights on active sporting reserves provides a good solution and goes some way towards increasing our capacity across the City.

Mr Aubrey said as well as helping to support increased participation levels, floodlights provided the City with more flexibility in allocating reserve space to sporting groups, and took pressure off other reserves by spreading wear and tear more evenly.

"The floodlights also have added benefits, providing enhanced community safety and allowing other park users such as dog walkers and joggers to use the surrounds while the floodlights are in operation."

The City of Melville managed the project and contributed most of the funds, with one-third of the money being secured from the Department of Sport and Recreation through the Community Sporting and Recreation Facilities Fund.