By Jessica Anstice
Pakenham Auto Club is celebrating following a decision by Cardinia Shire Council to offer the club a 40 year lease for their new home ground.
The decision will see the club permanently settle at 21 Key Lane in Pakenham, a 13 hectare block of land with the club paying just $104 per year.
Cr Brett Owen announced the good news at a council meeting on Monday 15 April.
“If you know the people at the Pakenham Auto Club they’ve wanted this long term accommodation for a long time and now they will get that,” Cr Owen said.
“The club is wrapped about it and they’re excited about the land parcel and their future.”
Pakenham Auto Club has been running for over 47, with roughly 2700 members coming and going during that time.
It currently has more than 280 active members and has been running on a smaller block of land at the next to their new property.
“Everyone at the club was so excited to hear the news, because you never know, it could have gone pear-shaped at the last minute,” club treasurer John Carney said.
“We’ve now got a lot of development work and cleaning up to do as it’s a farm.
“We’re going to start working on it in the next couple of days.”
Over the next eight months, the club plans to set up an obstacle course, build a large track for monthly events, convert the vacant building into an admin office/clubroom, and more.
“This new land will make it so much easier for the club to run normal events and it will be heaps better for our junior participants,” Mr Carney said.
Mr Carney said he would like to acknowledge the support the club has received over the years from Cardinia Shire Council, including current and former councillors and officers and the Pakenham Gazette.
“This is a great outcome. Council officers went above and beyond to make this happen and create this solution,” Cr Jeff Springfield said.
“I look forward to seeing what comes from the club in the future now they have this stability.”
Cr Ray Brown added that he was “quite excited as the club has been very patient with their demands”.
