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Jannali Oval. Sutherland Rd, Jannali.          Phone No: (02) 9528 3519

Ground Allocation

When the club was formed in 1956 solving the problem of a training area was a priority. An approach was made to Como West School for use of the school playground. Permission was granted but a big clean up was necessary, as the ground was all gravel. The Flats (Scylla Bay) was also used. Games were also played on Scylla Bay 1956 and 1957. (Some games were also played at Tonkin Oval, Cronulla)

In March 1958 the Secretary applied for the ground at Jannali Oval as home ground and it was later confirmed that application had been granted. During June 1958, Mr Farr-Wharton reported on the meeting with Sutherland Council to discuss Scylla Bay ground. "Council's idea is to fill the reserve with 2ft of sand which will be dredged out of the river and after being allowed to settle, topped with soil. Also attention to bank levies, drains etc".

As is the case now, the electricity transmission tower at Jannali Oval was a matter of concern in 1958. Sutherland Council advised at this time suitable guards on the tower would be installed.

Weekend games were thrown into turmoil when in 1960 players were advised Council had started to put soil on the Jannali Oval with the view of then grading same. Games were hastily transferred to Sylvania Heights, Sylvania Oval and Gymea Oval. The first "seeding" of the Oval is recorded in 1961. Again in 1964 it was reported the seed for Jannali Oval had been planted.

There was also a working party organised to plant runners in the bare patches at the ends and side of No 1 field. Handplanting of runners on the new field by several club members also occurred the following year, a most tedious and backbreaking undertaking.

A second smaller field was opened at Jannali Oval in March 1961. This extra field "will assist us in other ways during the season, mainly as a warming up area on competition days, and as an extra practice field on Sunday mornings". Sticks and stones (parents referred to them as rocks) were removed and holes filled. It was later felt the new field was mostly a better surface than the big field and amply big enough on which to play the younger age competition matches.

The club was having difficulty with receiving sufficient help to erect rope each weekend as crowd control. Representations had been made to Council and the Department of Education in 1959 to have a crowd control fence erected at Jannali Oval. It was not until the beginning of 1967 that a fence was erected across the top field at a cost of some $350.00. The Sutherland Cricket Association donated $40 towards the cost and assisted in the siting.

As had been the practice of earlier years, the annual application was made to Sutherland Council for continued use of Jannali Oval as home ground. In march 1968 joint administration of permanent tenure was granted with the Cricket Club and Como West Soccer Club with (then) Councillor Skinner another member of the Committee.

It was not until 1971 that Council advised they would allocate $1000 which the Club requested be used to tar-seal the carpark area and turf the "basketball" area situated north of the (current) complex. The carpark area was eventually sealed with the completion of stage 2 in 1983.

Between 1967 and 1979 extensive work had been carried out again by club members At a cost of $1300 the goal mouth areas were fully re-turfed in 1985. Again in 2006 and 2007 $8000 was allocated and spent on field repairs.

Growth in the number of the club playing members and the ensuing games and training necessarily undertaken during the playing seasons eventually had a detrimintal effect on the field grass cover, particularly No.1Field. This resulted in extensive ground repairs and regrassing being essential in 2008/9, the cost of which was $71,000 and was fully borne by the club.

President Bob McArthur had been untiring in his efforts to create an all weather training area to the south of the oval which would alleviate the load of training by large numbers, and attended many meetings with Council representative/s. In 2006 plans were discussed, drawn-up and presented to Council. After nearly two years work and approximately $4000 of club funds, Council refused the application, "primarily on the grounds of the need to remove some trees and the contribution the extra lighting would have on gloval warming".

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