Club out to stop footy freeloaders

By Shaun Inguanzo
KEYSBOROUGH Football Club will have discussions with the City of Greater Dandenong to find a way of preventing footy freeloaders from sneaking into Saturday matches through a public side gate.
Club president Clay Cullen said the council had told the club it could not close the gate because it provided access to parkland south of the club’s home ground, Rowley Allan Reserve.
The gate, which is accessed from Stanley Road, is the entrance to the continuation of a walking and riding track that extends from the east, near Domain Drive. The track runs south of the reserve and then heads north to Cheltenham Road.
But Mr Cullen said the club had to man the gate when possible to stop footy fans from bypassing the main gate and entering via the Stanley Road gate.
The club had approached the council to close the gate during match times but the council refused.
The mayor Youhorn Chea told Star the council did not want to block access to the track.
“While it appears to be within the Keysborough Reserve, it is actually a separate title arising from the residential subdivision,” he said.
“It is a public access way and should be available to residents as an access way at all times.
“That is why there are bollards at the site and not gates.
“It would be unlikely that we would gate this walkway,” Cr Chea said.
“Council is happy to discuss the matter with the club representatives.”
Mr Cullen said the club would seek a meeting.
“It would be nice to sit down with the council and come to a compromise,” he said.