For the last three years, Vasse General Store owner Neil McDonald has been watering the grounds of Newtown Oval located next to the primary school.
Each day he attends the oval and moves the mobile water irrigator around to make sure the grass stays green, he is also helped by other farmers and community members who maintain the grounds.
“Volunteers and community members have been doing a lot of work, farmers have supplied fertilisers, and the last few busy bees they have brought down their machinery at no cost,” he said.
“There has been a chap mowing it and the Vasse and Districts Community Centre members keep doing it to make sure it stays green and to keep the history there.”
Last week, Mr McDonald attended a City of Busselton council meeting to request that reticulation be installed at the oval with money which was left with the city by the developer of Newtown Vasse
The city were given $150,000 to spend on upgrades at the oval following consultation with the members of the Vasse community and the Vasse Recreational Facilities Working Group.
The land was originally donated to the community back in the 1920’s so it could be used for playing fields, which also includes tennis courts and a playground.
“The history goes right back and it is where Newtown won the A-grade cricket grand final in 1931 and the football club won their grand final in 1934,” Mr McDonald said.
A Vasse and Districts Community Centre committee member, Mr McDonald said he hoped the city would support their project and release funds so they could install reticulation at the oval.
Mr McDonald said with reticulation they could manage the oval a lot better allowing them to top dress it with soil.
The oval is currently used by the community for various events and the cricket club are hoping to install a pitch so they can use it for their junior training.
“It is an open space which can be used by families and where the community can have social events on the oval,” he said.
“We also have the log chops out here during the Festival of Busselton.
“We want to keep it nice because of its history and have a nice open space for families to use.”
The Mail understands the city will organise a meeting with the Vasse and Districts Community Centre committee once their request has been received in writing.
It is expected the matter will go before council before the end of the year and a tender for the reticulation work will be advertised if council endorse the project.
At the meeting, councillor Rob Bennett said he would support the project when a motion was put forward.
