Bruce Fraser Honoured
The playing field at Holland Road Reserve, Glenhaven will be named the Bruce Fraser Field after Glenhaven Football Club’s much loved and respected inaugural president who made the dream come true.
Hills Shire Council received 62 submissions supporting the proposal when it was placed on exhibition on council’s website for 28 days leading up to December 31st.
Bruce Fraser (pictured) was 72 when he passed away in July last year. His wife Donna said naming the field after her husband was a huge honour. It will come 32 years after Bruce saw the field he pioneered first used as the club’s home ground.
She said the idea to establish a Glenhaven soccer club was made over 30 years ago after Bruce attended a picnic to celebrate the centenary of Glenhaven Public School and the dads got talking.
In a tribute to Bruce Glenhaven FC wrote: “Holland Reserve was a very small unused, overgrown cricket park and holding ground for Council road shale, however it was Bruce Fraser who identified it as having enough area to have a full size football field.”
As council at the time had no funds to develop the facility, Bruce with a committee and a few residents formed the Park Management Committee with the dream to develop Holland Reserve to become the home ground of Glenhaven Soccer Club. The proposal was put to council in July 1990 and work started the next month.
Bruce organised a series of fundraising events to contribute to half of the construction costs of the field with the Glenhaven Father’s Club running barbecues and raffles and sourcing donations.
He also arranged a working bee of local plumbers and electricians to assist with the development of the field for free, and for his workplace, Coates Hire, to donate several pieces of equipment for use during the project.
He was coordinator and foreman during the time it took to complete. Bruce was elected inaugural President in 1991 and was president for the next 10 years and an active member for next 20 years.
It was Hills Deputy Mayor Councillor Mitchell Blue who asked Council to Investigate opportunities to honour Bruce’s legacy and in November, following discussions with Bruce’s family, the Glenhaven Football Club and the community, he put up a motion suggesting the Field be named after Bruce Fraser.
He said: “I am glad to see so many submissions supporting the proposal, which further highlights the significance of Bruce’s contribution to the community. I look forward to the unveiling of the sign in due course. “
Hills Shire Mayor Peter Gangemi said: “This is a fantastic response from the community and is a testament to Bruce and the incredible work he has done for the Glenhaven football community and beyond.”
Donna said: “Bruce would have been so honoured to receive this recognition – I know his family and his many friends within the community are pleased for him!”
