Cricket and football players – usually females and children – at Wodonga’s Emerald Park Oval have long had to make do with only a tiny, old toilet block as their facilities.
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Now a joint $240,000 project between the Victorian government and Wodonga Council will allow them to have the same standard change rooms as the men.
The old toilet block will be knocked down and a modern, multi-purpose sporting pavilion with two change rooms will be constructed instead.
It will be used by the Belvoir Cricket Club’s female players in the summer and Wodonga Raiders’ female and junior teams in the winter.
Northern Victoria MP Jaclyn Symes on Wednesday announced the government would contribute $160,000 as part of its female friendly facilities fund, saying all players deserved equal access to facilities.
“This boost will go a long way to support the growing number of people in the Benambra electorate keen to get involved in local sport and recreation,” she said.
“We have a situation where we have growing participation rates of female sportspeople.
“We know what it’s like being a woman; we often get changed in the car or we go straight home after a game to have a shower, and that’s going to change here at Emerald Oval.”
Wodonga Council has put aside $80,000 for its 2019-20 financial year budget.
Building is set to begin in spring next year, with the pavilion to be completed about six months later and ready in time for the 2020 winter football season.
The council’s plans show it will be located in the north west corner of the oval, near the car park.
Mayor Anna Speedie said it was important females are provided with appropriate changing facilities and praised Cricket Albury-Wodonga for its work in advocating for the grant.
She said the project had been identified as part of the council’s Birallee Park Master Plan and would enhance facilities in the area alongside new facilities for netballers and a cricket centre of excellence about to begin.
“To be able to add this key component is absolutely fantastic,” she said.
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