Fearon Reserve in Williamstown and Paisley Park in Altona North will finally get the female-friendly sport facilities they deserve thanks to a funding partnership between the Andrews Labor Government and the Hobsons Bay City Council.
Minister for Sport, John Eren MP today joined the Member for Williamstown Wade Noonan MP, and the Mayor of Hobsons Bay City Council, Cr Angela Altair and representatives from six local sporting clubs across AFL football, soccer and cricket to almost $1 million to redevelop the change rooms at Fearon Reserve and Paisley Park respectively. The Andrews Labor Government and the Hobsons Bay City Council will be funding partners for these projects.
More women and girls than ever before are getting involved in local community sport and this investment will allow our local sporting clubs to cater for every player, regardless of their gender.
The Fearon Reserve redevelopment will entail the removal of existing open shower halls and urinals and will install cubicle toilets and showers. The Paisley Park redevelopment will similarly see the replacement of open shower halls with private cubicles and will also see internal walls repainted and a new sports flooring surface fitted.
More than 900 participants use these two sporting reserves each year across multiple sporting codes, including the Williamstown CYMS Football Club, Williamstown Seagulls FIDA Football Club, Williamstown CYMS Cricket Club, and the Williamstown Imperials Cricket Club at Fearon Reserve, and the Altona Magic Soccer Club, and the Altona East Soccer Club at Paisley Park.
Mr Noonan and Cr Altair acknowledged the wonderful partnership between the State Government and Council, and thanked each of the Clubs for making local community sport more accessible, inclusive and welcoming for all local girls and women.
The Female Friendly Facilities Fund is part of the Labor Government’s strong commitment to sports and active recreation, gender equality and to encourage all Victorians to get out there and get active.
It’s backed by almost half a billion dollars in the Victorian Budget to ensure sport and active recreation goes from strength to strength.
Quotes attributable to Member for Wade Noonan MP:
“Our local sporting clubs do a fantastic job, but many of our sports pavilions were built in a bygone era and are not inclusive for women and girls. We’re changing that.”
“More than 900 locals playing football, cricket and soccer who use these two sporting reserves will benefit from this joint investment, including a growing number of women and girls.”
Quotes attributable to Cr Angela Altair:
“I thank both Minister Eren and Mr Noonan and welcome this funding contribution towards the upgrades at Fearon Reserve and Paisley Park Soccer Complex. The two local cricket clubs, two local football clubs and two soccer clubs based at these locations will greatly benefit from this upgrade that will result in fully accessible and female friendly facilities at both grounds.”
“We know from our Sports Facility Needs Analysis that there is a lot of work to do in Hobsons Bay and every dollar we get in support from the state government helps.”
“We now look forward to getting on with the projects in collaboration with the clubs and we are hopeful of further funding contributions from the government to help us to improve our local sports facilities to be more accessible to all, especially with the recent growth in female participation in sport.”
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