Roos jumping for joy after pavilion upgrade completion

ANGLESEA Football Netball Club’s long-awaited netball pavilion upgrade at Ellimatta Reserve is now complete, with the club to host its grand opening tomorrow afternoon.

The pavilion’s official opening will be held next week with government officials to attend, but pavilion committee member Marianne Caulfield says it is a tremendous feeling to be at the end of the project and is eager to welcome club members to tomorrow’s event.

“It’s really exciting, isn’t it,” Ms Caulfield said.

“The entire community got behind this project from the start and it was amazing to see the amount of legislative support from the beginning.

“It’s great for the club, it’s great for the community, and it’s great for the youth as well, to have a facility they can be proud of and up to Netball Victoria standards.”

Anglesea’s netball program consists of 15 sides across juniors and seniors, made up of over 150 registered players.

The project was approved in 2021, following a $500,000 funding injection from the Victorian Government’s 2021 Local Sports Infrastructure Fund.

The $1.3 million project, mixed between state and Surf Coast Shire financial commitments, commenced shortly after and was initially slated to be completed by the end of 2022.

“Local football and netball clubs, such as the Roos, are often the glue that keeps communities together – in good times and tough times, so it’s important to support the great job they do,” Member for Western Victoria Gayle Tierney said at the time.

“This boost will go a long way to support the growing number of people keen to get involved in local sport and recreation.”

The upgraded pavilion features a function space, home and away changing facilities, an umpires’ room, multiple showers, an office, and adequate storage for club equipment.

The facility also has additional seating and an observation deck overlooking the football ground.

“The club is ecstatic to have these new facilities,” Anglesea netball president Nicky Albert said.

“It’s such a big step up from what we had and it’s lovely to be able to share this with our oppositions as well.

“The shared facilities we had previously, both sides changing in the one changing room, now we have room to prepare and get ready, it’s exciting for all and it’s great to see this project come to fruition.”

Anglesea’s netball pavilion grand opening on Saturday begins from 3.30pm featuring past players, officials, committee members, and parents.