Wodonga's bid to become a premier regional sporting location has been further enhanced with the announcement of upgrades to facilities at Martin Park.
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The 1970 pavilion at Les Cheesley Oval will be demolished and replaced by a female-friendly building, with the removal of the demountable and old toilet block part of a $750,000 redevelopment.
A contribution of $500,000 has been announced by the Victorian government, aimed at increasing female participation in cricket and football across the region.
The ground will join Willow Park, Emerald Oval and the Wodonga athletics track in having recently acquired female changerooms.
"We've made a strategic decision to keep renewing our sporting facilities here to make us the regional premier sporting place to be," Wodonga councillor Danny Lowe said.
"We want to attract big sporting clubs, big events and the way to do that is to provide premier facilities.
"Our sporting facilities and grounds were being overused. The grounds weren't getting a rest and that's why it's very important for Baranduda Fields to go ahead.
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"If there's been a positive out of COVID, it's probably given the grounds a rest to get them back in the great nick they are."
Cr Lowe added the timing couldn't have been better to provide a much needed lift for the local economy.
"All this money will go to local trades and every dollar that's spent on this project will go around in our community four times," he said.
Wodonga Junior Football Club president Danny Cohen, who also coaches the Bulldogs' girls team, welcomed the news.
"At the moment it's pretty much just two rooms, concrete, brick walls. It's not really attractive," he added.
Wodonga Cricket Club secretary Peter Willcox believed the upgrade will complement the recent development of training facilities and the addition an electronic scoreboard, allowing the club to attract new faces.
"We have a few female participants, but because we don't have the facilities to enable them to participate fully, an upgrade creates an environment where they're more happy to participate," Mr Willcox said.
Wodonga Saints' football manager Robert White said the works will make a big difference to the club's ability to draw in people.
"At the moment we're limited to one room for functions, this will make us more viable," Mr White added.
There is no official timeline on its completion.
Birallee Park will get a new netball court and lighting upgrade via a $250,000 state government grant, with a further $29,000 awarded to the council for a Willow Park and Belvoir Park master-plan.