Warrnambool City Council was warned Reid Oval design would obscure view of game, club says

The claim comes after councillors slammed that aspect of the design as a "huge mistake" and "terrible disappointment" and lamented that it hadn't been "looked at properly".

But East Warrnambool Football Netball Club president Danny Austin said the issue was raised but "completely ignored".

And on top of that, the club is upset that a new interchange bench being installed as part of the project will also block the view of the ground from its clubrooms.

An email from January 2020, reveals the design flaw had been pointed out before final designs were adopted.

It notes that the match day office required clear visibility to the oval and concerns were raised that spectators would block the view - something the city's new councillors have now also pointed out.

Councillors say the top of the grandstand will now have to be roped off on match days so coaches and scorers can see the ground.

"They were warned way back in the planning stage," Mr Austin said.

He said club members had raised the issue.

"They were completely ignored and now exactly what they were told has been realised as a big problem," he said. "We alerted them to these problems."

Mr Austin said the club was also upset that a concrete slab had been poured for an interchange bench that would obscure the view of the ground from the clubrooms.

He said the interchange bench had been moved so two volunteers in the canteen could still see the football.

"What about the East Warrnambool football club?" he said. "It's more important to the council that two volunteers in the canteen that are serving pies can see the game than it is for a whole club. That seems fairly poor to me."

Mr Austin said there had been a lack of consultation with the club over the Reid Oval redevelopment since the project had started. He said the club was unaware of the planned location of the interchange bench until the slab had been poured.

"It wasn't on the original plans at all. The first we found out about it was when the concrete pad was poured and we questioned what it was," he said.

"They've just decided to move it with no consultation with our club. It's very disappointing."

The club has been in recess for the two years of the pandemic which had abruptly stopped competition for south-west leagues.

Mr Austin said the club would hold its annual general meeting next week where they would discuss the future of the club.

The council said the Reid Oval redevelopment was yet to be completed and, as with any large project, there was almost always variations or enhancements that occurred during the construction phase.

It remains a "live" project and the team in charge is constantly monitoring and reviewing the work being done, it said. "Councillors are being briefed as the work continues," the council said.

"In relation to the siting of the interchange benches, this is unchanged.

"They have been positioned to avoid being in front of the kiosk where it is important to ensure volunteers can see the field."

The council said its architects had carefully assessed sightlines from the new pavilion and other structures during the design phase to maximise viewing opportunities.