McLean Oval upgrade to fix drainage

The Shire of Denmark has voted to replace a large section of the deteriorating McLean Oval in an effort to improve drainage issues, which have come to a head this year.

The oval is used year-round by a number of sporting clubs, including the Denmark-Walpole Football Club, Denmark Soccer Club and Denmark Cricket Club, and has declined in quality this year after above-average rainfall.

The officer’s report put forward to councillors last Tuesday came after Wood & Grieve Engineers undertook an assessment of the drainage issues at the oval.

“To rectify the drainage problems along the western side, the existing profile needs to be removed and replaced, and additional subsurface drains installed on closer spacing,” the officer’s report said.

“The existing profile would need to be excavated to the clay layer, replacing it with 300mm depth of clean sand, and laying turf rolls.”

The reconstruction of the western side of the ground is estimated to cost $366,850, to which the Shire would need to contribute $244,550.

The officer’s report also considered remedial drainage works with an estimated cost of $90,200, which would improve the performance of the ground during the winter season.

However, the Council opted for reconstruction with the aim of creating a long-term solution.

The Shire will now apply for a Department of Sport and Recreation grant to cover a third of the costs, with the project not expected to start until September next year.

In an effort to provide a cost-effective short-term solution, the western side of the ground will be top-dressed with sand to help prevent the surface sealing.

DWFC coach Matt Candy said it was pleasing to hear the reconstruction option had been favoured.

“It’s great, it needed to happen as the ground is under a huge amount of pressure,” he said.