Cash for stadium rebuild locked in THE long-awaited upgrade of the Frankston Basketball Stadium will be “phenomenal”, Basketball Victoria CEO Nick Honey says. The final piece of the puzzle was locked in last week when the Victorian Liberals promised $15 million towards the project, matching a commitment from Frankston Council and the federal government. The state government committed to the project last month, meaning that it is set to proceed no matter the result at next month’s election. Basketball Victoria CEO Nick Honey called the announcement the “good news we’ve been hoping for”. “The additional courts will give more players a chance to take the courts, with upgraded facilities at-
tracting new players across Frankston City,” Honey said. “We thank all levels of government for their support of sport in Victoria and look forward to working together to create a new, invigorated hub for basketball and gymnastics across the region.” The planned upgrade will include the construction of two new multisport courts, the redevelopment of two multi-sport courts, refurbishment works on four existing courts, and construction of a gymnastics hall to host the Bayside Gymnastics Club. Frankston District Basketball Association CEO Wayne Holdsworth said that the project would help the organisation keep up with the growing number of kids signing up for basketball. “We are delighted to now know
that the project is fully-funded. We have just exceeded 1050 teams which is an increase of 20 per cent this year and we are busting at the seams, so additional courts are critical,” he said. The redevelopment of the stadium has taken years to get up and running after a botched attempt to develop the project four years ago. In 2018 a planned upgrade to the stadium was abandoned and ratepayer dollars for the project were diverted elsewhere after negotiations between the FDBA and Frankston Council collapsed. Later that year Basketball Victoria completed an investigation into allegations of serious misconduct at the FDBA. Brodie Cowburn
YOUNG basketballers and gymnasts join Frankston councillors and state opposition candidates at the Frankston Basketball Stadium. Picture: Supplied
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Promise for Port Phillip
FORMER detective Charlie Bezzina. Picture: Supplied
Detective tells all A DETECTIVE who investigated the Frankston murders of 1993 will join crime reporter John Silvester for a deep-dive into the horrific crimes. Between June and July 1993, three women were murdered by the same killer in the Frankston area. 18-yearold Elizabeth Stevens, 22-year-old Deborah Fream, and 17-year-old Natalie Russell were killed. Former detective Charlie Bezzina was called in to investigate the murder of Elizabeth Stevens in 1993. He spent seven weeks on the investigation. At a speaking event on 5 November, Bezzina will detail his side of the story. Bezzina and Silvester were both involved in the recent Stan documentary on the 1993 murders. The event, limited to over-18s, will take place at 7pm on 5 November at St Kilda Town Hall. Tickets are available through Event Brite.
THE state opposition has promised to “centralise” the management of boat ramps at Port Phillip and Western Port. The Liberals have unveiled a plan for recreational fishing and boating. Part of the plan is to begin discussions with councils and other bodies to have management of boat ramps in Port Phillip and Western Port brought under the control of state government entity Better Boating Victoria. The state opposition has also promised to use 100 percent of marine, boating, and fishing licence fees on facilities and maintaining fishing stocks. It will spend $5 million on matched grants to regional councils for boat ramp maintenance, $1 million on research into fish restocking programs, and $30 million on a “fish and platypus habitat restoration fund.” Victorian Liberals leader Matthew Guy said “our plan is about better management of our boat ramps and infrastructure, and more support for our precious habitats.” Shadow fishing and boating minister Bill Tilley said “we know [Port Phillip and Western Port] are the most heavily used boat ramps in the state and boaters want a better deal.” “We need a common standard and our policy would harness the expertise of Better Boating Victoria to deliver efficiencies in the management of and safety at these boat ramps,” he said. “Outside of this region there will be up to $50,000 matched funding for boat ramp improvements across the state.”
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Each month the Frankston Times will run a Community Events page, where your school or organisation can promote upcoming events, fund raisers, social events, etc. at no charge. This page is sponsored by Frankston Arts Centre, and listings are completely free. Lisiting should be about 40 words and include event name, date, time & address.
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25 October 2022
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