source : the age
Three suspected arson attacks targeting soccer clubs in Melbourne’s south-east are being investigated by police after a council decision to reallocate a sought-after local ground raised tensions in the sporting community.
Police are probing if the firebombing of a car at the home of a Monash Villarreal director in November last year is linked to a suspicious 4am blaze that destroyed a building at the home of Glen Waverley Soccer Club on April 16.
The damage inside Capital Reserve Pavilion in Glen Waverley in April. Credit: Daniel Pockett
A third suspicious fire, at 5am on Saturday, gutted the Mount Waverley clubhouse of the Waverley Wanderers Football Club amid mounting nerves in the soccer fraternity.
The incidents follow a stoush that unfolded last year when Monash Council chose to allocate Carlson Reserve to Monash Villarreal after completing a $2.8 million upgrade of the pavilion.
The decision was opposed by the Waverley Wanderers, which argued the ground had been its home for more than 30 years.
An internal Monash Council email, seen by The Age, shows that the council’s expression-of-interest process resulted in Monash Villarreal receiving the highest score, based on a policy to maximise opportunities for females to participate in sport.
The newly upgraded Carlson Reserve, which has been unused since it was completed last year.
Glen Waverley Soccer Club ranked next best, followed by the Waverley Wanderers. The council email noted that the Waverley Wanderers would receive Mayfield Reserve but would probably be disappointed to lose Carlson Reserve.
Monash Council said it offered Monash Villarreal the use of Carlson Reserve on September 6 last year.
Days later, Waverley Wanderers president John Leloudas started a petition that urged the council to reconsider the allocation and argued that Mayfield Reserve was unsuitable for the club.
“[The decision] is detrimental to our ability to continue growing and serving our community,” the petition said.
Firefighters work on the Capital Reserve blaze after 4am on April 16.Credit: Nine
At the council’s November 26 meeting, Leloudas submitted two questions to raise issues with brown tap water and sewer backflow at Mayfield Reserve, and to ask why sharing Carlson Reserve with another club had not been an option.
Mayor Paul Klisaris responded: “None of the submitters to the expression-of-interest raised the potential of sharing the facility.”
That same week, according to Victoria Police, a Mercedes-Benz was torched just after midnight on November 28 in the driveway of the Hughesdale home of a Monash Villarreal club director. The car was destroyed and fire also burnt part of the property.
Monash Council said Monash Villarreal withdrew from using Carlson Reserve on November 29, and the council did not offer the reserve to another soccer club. Monash Villarreal declined to comment when approached by The Age.
The clubhouse at Mayfield Reserve on May 3 after a blaze which police are deeming to be suspicious.Credit: Eddie Jim
A Victoria Police spokesman said investigators were examining if the car firebombing was connected to last month’s suspected arson attack at the Capital Reserve pavilion, which is used by Glen Waverley Soccer Club.
The third blaze on Saturday at Mayfield Reserve’s clubrooms, used by the Waverley Wanderers, was deemed suspicious but police for now say they don’t believe there is a link to other incidents.
Detectives are appealing for witnesses for all three fires. No arrests have been made.
Glen Waverley Soccer Club president Kosta Ganotis said he was shocked by the three fires and didn’t understand why his club might have been targeted.
“I’ve been at the club for over 25 years, and I’ve never seen anything like this before,” he said.
Ganotis, whose club has about 350 children, said fear was now spreading among the local soccer community over possible future attacks. He hoped for answers soon.
“Kids just want to come and kick the ball, it’s a big part of their life. It hits home pretty badly when they see a place they felt safe [get burnt down].”
Ganotis said his club lost its memorabilia and equipment, including $40,000 worth of new player uniforms.
“That’s the most heart-wrenching part … We’re just trying to stay strong and move forward for the rest of the community,” he said.
Monash Council said it moved the newly homeless soccer club to Carlson Reserve, which sat idle for months.
Ganotis said he hoped to return to Capital Reserve when the pavilion was rebuilt.
Members of the Waverley Wanderers are also devastated following the weekend’s fire. They said in a statement that the fire had scorched trophies, flags and photos that were moved to the clubhouse only days earlier.
Leloudas, the club’s president, said that any earlier community suspicion that someone connected to the Waverley Wanderers could have been behind the fires was “unfair and unwarranted”.
“We have a terrific relationship with all the soccer teams,” he said. “We’re a family team, we’re good people and we love our football.”
Leloudas said he was working with Monash Council and still hoped to some day return to Carlson Reserve.
Monash Council has moved the Waverley Wanderers’ next home games to Gardiners Reserve and is working on other alternatives.
Mayor Paul Klisaris said the cost of rebuilding each building was estimated to be $3-4 million.
The council has introduced extra security at other sports grounds.
“Losing two facilities for local sporting clubs in a matter of weeks is incredibly disappointing and concerning,” Klisaris said.
A council source, who was not authorised to speak to the media, said: “Needless to say these events have been very distressing or everyone at Monash. Safety is our number one concern.”
