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Northcote Scores Female Friendly Sporting Facilities

11 October 2018

The Northcote community will get a boost thanks to $500,000 from the Andrews Labor Government to upgrade the pavilion at Bill Lawry Oval.

Minister for Sport John Eren today announced the old pavilion at the oval will be refurbished and extended thanks to the Labor Government’s $15 million Female Friendly Facilities Fund.

The pavilion is used by more than 700 players from the local Northcote Park Football Netball Club, Northcote Cricket Club and Darebin Women’s Sports Club.

However, the existing pavilion is not up to modern standards and not appropriate for women and girls, limiting the ability of the clubs to attract more female players.

With the City of Darebin population forecast to grow by more than 70,000 in the next 25 years, the provision of more female friendly sporting facilities is needed.

This project will extend and refurbish the existing pavilion including the change rooms and public amenities, and provide a new fourth change room, medical room, accessible toilet and storage.

This funding package is part of the Labor Government’s strong commitment to sports and active recreation, enabling 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 acknowledged Darebin City Council, AFL Victoria, Northcote Cricket Club and Northcote Park Football Netball Club for their commitment and financial contributions to the project

Quotes 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 are limited by inadequate facilities so we’re fixing that.”

“We want more females to be playing the sports they love, so we need to provide adequate facilities.”

Quote attributable to Member for Northern Metropolitan Jenny Mikakos

“These improvements at Bill Lawry Oval will provide more opportunities for women and girls in the rapidly growing Northcote community to get active and play the sport 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 – the provision of female friendly facilities is a big step in the right direction.”

Reviewed 19 August 2020

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