Inverleigh Hawks get big cash for female friendly change rooms

UPGRADES and updates are on the cards for the Inverleigh Recreation Reserve thanks to large grant from the State government’s Community Sports Infrastructure Stimulus program.

Running to just over $1.5 million, the project is set to include construction of female friendly, unisex and umpire change rooms, renovation of the existing football change rooms, as well as other supporting amenities.

Once finished, the club hopes the new and refurbished facilities will support new and existing football, cricket and community group programs and aid with growth in female football the area.

President of Inverleigh Football Club David Haste said this is an important step forward to tap into the expansion of neighbouring towns.

“It’s going to allow us to provide more opportunities for more people to be involved in our club and in sport,” he said.

“If we had greater access to better facilities then we envisage there would be more community participation.

“It will allow us to create female football for our club and apply to hold finals here.”

Golden Plains Shire already had a masterplan devised for the area and utilised this when applying for the government funding.

Mr Haste said this plan was the key to the club securing the grant.

“Golden Plains Shire were really enthusiastic about our ability to get a grant because it was a turn-key process, a stimulus package,” he said.

“The council had a masterplan ready for the sporting complex and we already had a grant to renovate the social rooms.”

For players and those associated with Inverleigh’s sporting complex, the planned facility development is a win for the community.

Inverleigh netball and former junior football player Becky McPoyle said it’s disappointing that the current facilities hinder female players from continuing with the game.

“We don’t really have any [facilities] for us netballers, we have to share some change rooms with the bowls club and you feel away from the club,” she said.

“I switched to netball because there were no girls footy out here.

“If back then, if that was a choice I would’ve stayed with football and kept going with that.”

The cash for the Inverleigh Rec Reserve comes from more than $68 million as a part of a government’s statewide stimulus program.

Western Victoria upper house MP Gayle Tierney said the funding will benefit more than just Inverleigh FNC.

“This investment will support the local economy, create jobs and support the growing number of people in Inverleigh keen to get involved in sport and recreation,” she said.

“We’re making sport and recreation more accessible, welcoming and inclusive for all Victorians by giving communities the facilities they need.”

Combining $72,000 from the Inverleigh community club with $177,700 from the Golden Plain Shire that was allocated through the Federal government’s recent Local Roads and Community Infrastructure program, the project has backing from all levels of government.

Golden Plains Shire Mayor Cr Owen Sharkey said he welcomes the State’s $1.52 million commitment to make the new female friendly change rooms a reality.

“We are all missing our community sport during the COVID pandemic and so it will be great to get moving on this project, with the knowledge that when the Inverleigh Football and Netball Club get back to the field and courts, and the Inverleigh Cricket Club get back to the pitch, the local and visiting players will all be looking forward to brand new and renovated change rooms for training and game days,” he said.

The new change rooms and associated upgrades join a growing list of other improvements that are set for Inverleigh Rec Reserve, or that have been made recently.

“The new change rooms join an impressive list of works that have been completed at the Inverleigh sporting complex in the past few years including the new netball court, the oval lighting upgrade and the new cricket nets,” Cr Sharkey said.

“With the social room upgrade also promised by the Federal government, recent investment in the Inverleigh Reserve will top $3 million which is a wonderful outcome.”