Pavilion works underway

Contractors have begun demolishing Lorne’s netball facilities making way for AFL standard pavilions and community-based facilities.

Lorne’s Stribling Reserve’s $6.5 million redevelopment includes an upgraded main pavilion and netball pavilion. It is part of the Stribling Reserve masterplan which the Surf Coast Shire Council endorsed the in 2017.

The reserve is a community space with Lorne Football and Netball Club, Lorne and District Men’s Shed and Lorne P-12 College using the facilities.

Stribling Reserve Committee of Management chair Peter Spring said the upgrades would make the site a “true community hub”.

“We are moving away from the concept of a football pavilion into a community pavilion,” he said.

Deputy mayor and Lorne Ward councillor Clive Goldsworthy said construction of the netball pavilion should begin in about four weeks and take about three months to complete.

The new netball pavilion will meet Netball Victoria guidelines and will feature change rooms, and amenities for home and away teams, an accessible toilet, an office, first aid/trainers’ room, umpire amenities and storage. It can also be used by the wider community as a space to hire.

“There’s a lot of excitement about what is happening, they (the netballers) have had a lot of contribution into the design… what they are getting is facility that they have real ownership in, and it meets their needs,” Mr Spring said.

Cr Goldsworthy said it was expected that the main pavilion would be completed close to the beginning of next year’s season or Easter.

Upgrades to the main pavilion will be to AFL Victoria guidelines and include a new second level to the existing pavilion with northern entry.

The main pavilion will feature community spaces, commercial kitchen, the inclusion of unisex amenities to promote increased use by the adjacent school and female sporting participants, and provision of new public toilets.

Cr Goldsworthy said the community had significant input into the upgrade of the reserve to determine its future.

“The project began about five years ago when we were looking for funding, it has now come to fruition,” he said.

Lorne’s community spirit has shone throughout Lorne’s Stribling reserve upgrade with donations from individuals, government and community groups.

Completed upgrades at the site include resurfacing the oval and netball courts, spectator booths added, a state-of-the-art electronic scoreboard and lighting.