A notice-of-motion from councillor Glen Andreazza proposed to simply search the budget for a potential $500,000 to put towards the oval in order to be eligible for a million-dollar grant from the Multi-Sports Community Facility Fund.

Councillor Dino Zappacosta added a surprise amendment on the night however, committing council to applying for the grant and essentially forcing Griffith City Council to find the $500,000 somewhere in the budget.

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A number of members of Hanwood Football Club turned out to the meeting to observe the deliberation and see which way the vote would go.

Councillor Zappacosta noted that many groups, including Hanwood Football Club, make use of the oval.

"All of these groups add up to something like 58,000 visitors to the oval over a twelve month period," Cr Zappacosta said.

"I think it's important that council commit funds towards doing something. As to what we can upgrade it to will depend on funding and the million-dollars that we are seeking would go a long way to doing something special for the oval."

Cr Zappacosta proposed that the council revisit the 10-year plan if the grant application is successful and reallocate money to the improvement. The improvements don't currently exist in the plan, meaning an existing project will have to be shelved to account for the money.

Mayor Doug Curran raised the valid concern of committing to something before identifying where the money would come from, and noted that $500,000 would not go far without the million-dollar grant.

"I have no problem with the intent of this, but I think the notice of motion was strong enough as it was," he explained.

After some deliberation, Griffith City Council voted in favour of looking into the 10-year plan for the $500,000 as per the original proposal but whether the grant application is successful or not, the council committed to some form of improvement for the field.

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