The first sod has been turned at the new $900,000 female-friendly sports pavilion at Darnum Recreation Reserve.
A ceremonial sod turning event was attended by Mayor Cr Danny Goss, Deputy Mayor Cr Peter Kostos, Cr Michael Leaney, Cr Mikaela Power, Julia Lomas from Sport and Recreation Victoria, contractors and representatives from user groups and clubs at the Darnum Recreation Reserve.
The new female-friendly sports pavilion will include:
- Player and umpire change rooms with amenities
- Additional AFL umpire change room and amenities
- Accessible toilet with baby change facility
- Additional storage space
- Umpire duty room
- Administration room
- Small kitchenette
- Conversation of an existing onsite space into a dedicated shared first aid room
The new pavilion will replace the old outdated shed which had no separate facilities for female players and umpires along with other non-compliant accessibility barriers.
The project is being jointly funded by Baw Baw Shire Council and a $500,000 grant from the Victorian Government's Female Friendly Facilities Fund by Sport and Recreation Victoria.
Council has worked closely with the recreation clubs and user groups to finalise detailed designs that meet the needs of users and achieve compliance with sporting standards.
The new pavilion is expected to be completed by mid-2020.
Female-friendly facility upgrades are also currently underway at Hallora and Buln Buln recreation reserves.
As stated by Mayor Cr Danny Goss
"With female participation in sport on the rise, Council is working hard to provide new, safe and compliant sports infrastructure with equal access for women and girls. Female-friendly facilities are one of our key advocacy priorities and we're continuing to bridge these gaps at sporting grounds across the Shire. It's great to see this project underway and we thank the State Government for their ongoing support in this space."
Image: (Left to right) SRV Gippsland Regional Coordinator Julia Lomas, Graeme Parker from Building Designed, Deputy Mayor Cr Peter Kostas, Mayor Cr Danny Goss, Cr Michael Leaney, Recreation Coordinator Shane Paynter, Secretary Nilma Darnum Football Netball Club Trish Price, Wayne Farnham from Farnham Built, Hayley Heatley from Nilma Darnum Netball Club, Secretary Darnum Recreation Reserve Committee of Management John Pallot, Cr Mikaela Power and Darnum Recreation Reserve Committee of Management Greg Dessent.
