Change for the better

By EMMA SUN
MONTROSE Soccer Club will have bigger and better change rooms to accommodate its growing membership base after receiving $350,000 in funding.
The state government recently announced $100,000 for the club through its Strengthening the World program and the Yarra Ranges Council will contribute $250,000.
Along with $50,000 funds from the club, a total of $400,000 will be put towards upgrading the change rooms.
The change rooms mark the first stage of the club’s Towards 2015, a five year project set up in 2010 to upgrade the Keith Hume Fraser Reserve and take in more members.
Club president Alan Symons said the funding was a fantastic result for the club.
“This means we’ll have great facilities for the community for many years to come,” he said.
“A lot of work has gone in from the club, our sponsors, the shire and politicians and we’re very excited.”
The club will celebrate its 40th birthday in 2015, which was an ideal and significant target.
The works build on the installation of floodlights on one of the soccer pitches in 2009.
T2015 project manager Keith Pentland and the driving force behind the project the funding has been a long time coming and will allow more players to join with the club.
“We’re two and a half years in for this five year plan and it’s been worth it for all the planning and work we’ve done so far to get to this point.”
He said the club has grown from having two men’s teams and about 40 registered soccer players in 2005 to having 230 registered players last year, which included ladies and men’s teams and a junior club.
“At the moment, with only having two change rooms, we need to clear out the men from their game before the ladies go in and the extra change rooms will help with the junior teams as well,” he said.
“That’s been the main drive behind getting the facilities up and running.”
Mr Pentland said for stage two, the club planned to refurbish its two soccer pitches using $400,000 funding listed in the council’s 2012-13 budget.
“We’re hoping to get $400,000 from the council to renovate both of our soccer pitches with new drainage, irrigation and warm season turf.”
He said the lack of proper facilities and space was the reason behind the club not having proper recruitment drives, which will change with the project is completed.
Yarra Ranges Council Walling Ward councillor Len Cox said he was very pleased to see the soccer club get the funding.
He said the upgrades would not only benefit the club, but the children around Montrose as well.
“I think it’s very important for the club and for the young people they’ve got coming – the boys and girls playing there increases each year,” he said.
“Sport is such a good thing for the youths and it’s really good to see a club like that doing so much towards helping the youth around the general area.”