NORTH MELBOURNE last week finalised revised plans for the redevelopment of Arden Street, with changes to make its home significantly bigger.
The State Government yesterday delivered the Kangaroos an unexpected extra $2 million towards the $3 million cost of those works.
If approved by Melbourne City Council, the club's home will be 15% bigger than originally planned.
The extra money for North Melbourne came as part of a broader funding announcement — as revealed in The Age yesterday — in which Victorian clubs will share an extra $10.5 million to build and upgrade suburban grounds and facilities.
Richmond was the biggest recipient, receiving $2.5 million — in addition to an earlier $2 million in state funding committed to the club — to help construct new indoor training and club facilities and to help drought-proof Punt Road Oval.
North's new plans add 750 square metres to the existing plans, with more space for the football department as well as the administration.
Kangaroos chief executive Eugene Arocca said the cost of the total project was now almost $12 million and would put the club's facilities on a par with Victoria's best clubs.
"This is new money … It is an extra $2 million in funding we were not expecting and we are thrilled about," he said. "We already had plans drawn for council for the extra space and that was going to leave us with a $3 million shortfall, which we were committed to covering.
"We will raise the extra $1 million we need now, no problem — we will be looking for a naming-rights sponsor to start with. We were committed to that extra space because we knew we would outgrow the new building almost as soon as it was finished, but this announcement today is just the best thing to happen at North Melbourne in a long time."
Among the other recipients of State Government cash made in recognition of football's 150th year, Essendon will receive $1.5 million to reconfigure Windy Hill to remove the cricket pitches from the oval and upgrade nearby Cross Keys Reserve to house the Essendon Cricket Club on match days.
Melbourne is still investigating a summer home at Cranbourne, but the Government has committed $1 million to help with relocating to the new rectangular stadium at Olympic Park.
Carlton will get $1 million towards renovation works at Princes Park, while Hawthorn will get another $1 million to help develop water-recycling technology for Waverley Park.
The Bulldogs, having been given enormous financial help by the former federal government to rebuild Whitten Oval, will get another $500,000 for an indoor multi-court sports complex.
Collingwood will also receive $500,000 to help refurbish its home to accommodate the arrival of the Melbourne Vixens netball team.
St Kilda is another team to get $500,000 to open up Moorabbin to the community as the Saints prepare to leave their former home ground and move to Frankston.
