By Tanya Faulkner
An initiative to encourage women in sport has become a reality thanks to several hard-working volunteers around the Knox municipality.
The St Andrews Cricket Club, Ringwood Soccer Club and Aquinas Old Collegians Football Club are back in the game with the completion of a new pavilion at JW Manson Reserve.
Despite being in the Knox municipality, the grounds of JW Manson Reserve are owned and managed by the neighbouring Maroondah Council, who partnered with the Labour Government to fund the $4.5 million project.
Minister for Community Sport Ros Spence joined Member for Bayswater Jackson Taylor MP, Maroondah City Mayor Cr Rob Steane and local clubs to officially open the new female friendly pavilion earlier this month.
Minister Spence said in her presentation at the official opening that local sports and clubs are the lifeblood of their communities.
“This new pavilion is the perfect incentive for the communities and clubs to come even closer together and thrive,” she said.
Her colleague and Bayswater MP Jackson Taylor said it was amazing for him to see the project in fruition, after having such a big part in making the pavilion a reality.
“I am so stoked for the clubs and community on this amazing new bespoke pavilion which replaces an outdated venue which simply wasn’t fit for purpose. A profound investment in local grassroots sport and one the community absolutely deserves,” he said.
Mr Taylor said with the huge growth in female participation in sport, this investment will ensure more girls and women can get involved in the game they love, and this upgrade will boost the capacity and accessibility to more players.
The previous pavilion was described as “not up to standard” for the requirements of the club, particularly for females.
Aquinas Old Collegians Football club president Ian Shaw said its previous condition was almost embarrassing, and needed change.
“We used to have to ask our female players to get changed before coming to the grounds for training, because we had nowhere suitable for them to get dressed.
“I’m incredibly proud of our club’s history and I’m proud that we’ve got so many women and girls involved in our club and these facilities are exactly what we need to not only keep them in the game but encourage more to get involved,” he said.
The new pavilion at JW Manson Reserve features four female friendly player and two umpire change rooms, a first aid room, and a multipurpose space, as well as a kitchen, office, and storage areas.
Those clubs who will be calling the new pavilion ‘home’ are hoping the upgrades will encourage more women to get involved in the sports they love, and enjoy the high-quality facilities now available.
The new facilities also provide room to grow, with extra spaces for local clubs to host the big games and extra room for nearby community groups and schools to host local events and celebrations.
The Victorian Budget 2023/24 is providing more than $213 million to deliver and improve community sports infrastructure and support initiatives that boost participation and inclusion in local sports clubs and organisations.
This brings the Government’s investment into community sport and active recreation infrastructure to more than $1.9 billion since 2014.
From pavilion redevelopments to pitch upgrades, investments like these are all about creating jobs, stimulating local economies, and improving the health, wellbeing, and social outcomes for Victorian communities.
For more information about infrastructure grant opportunities available through the Government visit sport.vic.gov.au
