New lights brighten reserve

SIX one-hundred-lux LED lighting towers are now operational at Pleasant Street Reserve, home to the Ballarat Soccer Club.

Installed by Alfredton electrical contractor, TJ Coutts, the $459,000 lights were funded by the State Government and the City of Ballarat who contributed $250,000 and $209,000 respectively.

BSC president, Lucy Brennan said the project has been in the works for three years, but the wait was been worth it now there’s more opportunities for Miniroos and state-level players to train and play in the darker hours.

“You’d have no idea how much these lights are going to help us. We’ve gone from basically being able to use a little circle of space on one pitch, to being able to use the two pitches across the whole week, rather than just a Sunday morning or afternoon,” she said.

“We’ll now have utilisation across Pleasant Street Reserve and Trekardo Park. We’re looking forward to 2021 where we can get all our members back in and start fresh.”

Cr Belinda Coates said the project aligns with the Active Ballarat and Active Women and Girls strategies.

“Over the last few years, the number of girls playing football in Ballarat has increased significantly which is amazing,” she said.

“Extending the hours of the reserve means more people of all ages, genders and abilities can use the facility, and be active, more often.”

Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison said the installation is beneficial to the city’s broader wellness.

“For every dollar we spend in sport, we save $4 in health,” she said. “If we can keep people active and get young people to fall in love with sport, play it for the rest of their lives, or just stay active, there are so many positive benefits for their physical and mental health.”