Eighty years on, Brimbank Council is forging ahead with its plan to scrap the sports ground at the reserve and build its new civic centre there - in the face of growing community opposition.

An article published in the Advocate in 1929 set out the rules under which the public reserve was placed in the council's hands. The story noted that in 1910 Alice Errington died and left the land to three trustees - provided it was always kept as open space.

In 1929, the trustees decided to hand management of the land to the then Braybrook council.

Two councillors asked the council to consider taking over ownership of the land, on condition that:

* The reserve always be kept for St Albans residents' use.

* If Sunshine became a borough, the status of the reserve would remain the same as under the shire.

* It would always be called Eddington Reserve.

According to the Advocate report: "The trustees had no thought of the council ever disposing of the land, but as Sunshine would at some time become a borough it was desired to make such arrangements as would keep the ground for the people's use."

St Albans resident and former Keilor mayor Jack Sheridan is behind a community push to keep Errington Reserve for public use.

He said the 1929 article proved the land was given to the council in good faith, to remain public open space.

"It was always suppose to be kept for the public to use, not to be the council's civic centre," he said. "The more people I speak to, the more they ask - does the council need this new civic centre at all?"