Crazy John Ilhan to have sports ground named in his memory

A Melbourne sports ground is being renamed in memory of Crazy John’s mobile phone entrepreneur John Ilhan.

A Melbourne sports ground is being renamed in memory of Crazy John’s mobile phone entrepreneur John Ilhan.

The Broadmeadows Reserve will undergo a $500,000 redevelopment and be renamed the John Ilhan Memorial Reserve, Victorian Premier John Brumby announced yesterday.

The Victorian Government and the Hume City Council will each contribute $250,000 towards building a synthetic soccer pitch at the reserve in tribute to Ilhan, who died of a heart attack last year.

“He was a great philanthropist giving an enormous amount of his wealth back to the community through a great number of charities,” Brumby said.

“Mr Ilhan was also a great promoter of Victoria and in particular Melbourne’s north-western suburbs and it is fitting that this recreation reserve, which is used by so many young people and families every day, is named in his honour.”

Ilhan, aged 42, died on 23 October last year after suffering a heart attack while walking near his Brighton home2.

The rags-to-riches migrant launched his mobile phone retail chain in 1991 and went on to become one of Australia’s wealthiest men, amassing a $310 million fortune.

Ilhan, a married father of four, was also a well known philanthropist.

In 2006, he established the Ilhan Food Allergy Foundation with his wife Patricia after the couple discovered their daughter Jaida had a peanut allergy.

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