Premier

Footscray Scores Female Friendly Sporting Facilities

13 October 2018

Footballers and cricketers in Footscray are getting a boost thanks to a $203,163 grant from the Andrews Labor Government which will be used to upgrade the pavilion at Henry Turner North Reserve.

Minister for Sport John Eren today to joined Member for Footscray Marsha Thomson to announce the old pavilion at the oval will be refurbished to accommodate female players and umpires thanks to the Labor Government’s $15 million Female Friendly Facilities Fund.

The pavilion is home to the VU Western Spurs women’s football club, the Parkside Football Club and the Footscray Cricket Club which have a total of more than 300 players, of which almost two thirds are female.

However, the old club rooms were designed for male use only and are inappropriate for women and girls. This project will refurbish the player and umpire change rooms to make them female friendly and accessible.

The Spurs have been rapidly growing and enjoying significant success, with seven of their players recruited in the first AFL Women’s draft. The club expects to grow by an additional 60 to 70 players in the next couple of years, so the improved facilities will help significantly.

This project comes on top of $15,000 from the Labor Government’s Community Sports Infrastructure Fund to install a new electronic scoreboard at the reserve.

This funding package is part of the Labor Government’s strong commitment to sports and active recreation and encouraging all Victorians to get out there and get active.

Across Victoria we've invested more than $420 million in community sport and recreation facilities, and earlier this year provided almost half a billion dollars in the Victorian Budget 2018/19 to support sport and active recreation at all levels.

Mr Eren and Ms Thomson acknowledged Maribyrnong City Council, AFL Victoria and Bendigo Bank for their commitment and financial contribution to the projects.

Quote attributable to Minister for Sport John Eren

“Growing numbers of boys and girls, men and women are signing up to play sport at local clubs, however many clubs are limited by inadequate facilities.”

Quote attributable to Member for Footscray Marsha Thomson

“These improvements at Henry Turner North Reserve will provide more opportunities for women and girls in the Footscray community to get active and play the sports they love.”

Quote attributable to Head of the Office for Women in Sport and Recreation Dr Bridie O’Donnell

“We want to support women and girls so their experiences are the same as boys and men – female friendly facilities are an important step in levelling the playing field.”

Reviewed 19 August 2020

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