City to build new changerooms for women

INVESTMENT in the future of female talent will be boosted by new facilities in a planned $1 million upgrade at Lismore Rugby Union Club.

Page MP Kevin Hogan has committed to funding the project if the Coalition is elected at the coming federal election.

Plans include an upgrade to the clubhouse and new female changerooms and toilets.

It will also include an accessible toilet and shower, an officials room and refurbished bar and canteen areas.

Lismore City rugby union club has some of the highest female participation numbers across the zone.

It has won grand finals and has had junior and senior women compete in representative teams at NSW Country level and overseas.

City president Emily Cox has played and coached in senior teams at the club in recent years.

“This will change the game for the ladies and girls here at Lismore rugby club,” Cox said.

“It will help us continue to be the largest club for female participation in the zone.”

City has a strong junior base in the boys competition and has developed those players into the senior grades over the past few seasons.

The club has more than 500 members and is one of the longest-running clubs in the Far North Coast competition.

It operates its own field and clubhouse and will contribute $120,000 towards the project.

The club has done well to rebuild and return to the park, having not missed a season since the devastating floods in 2022.

It has been all hands on deck since then, with City one of the only clubs in the zone to field four teams in the senior competition.

“We’ve slowly been working away at trying to upgrade the facilities with lights, sheds and new mowers,” coach Peter Everingham said.

“The addition of a new set of (female) change rooms is key to upgrades.”