RELATED:
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Grants of up to $100,000 are available from the state government to make change rooms at Victorian sports clubs more female friendly.
But the responsibility for applying for funding largely falls to local councils.
Member for Bendigo West Maree Edwards said many clubs were in need of a share of the $10 million Female Friendly Facilities Fund.
“It is up to council to identify clubs in need and be prepared to match it on a dollar-for-dollar basis,” she said.
The City of Greater Bendigo has not made a submission to the Community Sports Infrastructure Fund, or the Female Friendly Facilities Fund sub-category, for the QEO.
But acting Active and Healthy Communities manager Lincoln Fitzgerald said council was considering “a range of projects for submission to next year’s funding round.”
Bendigo Mayor Rod Fyffe said council needed to work out a progressive plan of repairing and replacing amenities at sports clubs.
“Just like we do with older infrastructure, so clubs have a rough idea of when they are likely to get some help and can start fundraising for that themselves,” he said.
Calls for upgraded facilities came after those at Bendigo’s premier sporting venue, the Queen Elizabeth Oval, were labelled “primitive.”
Bendigo women’s football club Bendigo Thunder played at the QEO earlier this month.
Captain Emma Grant said the team used the change rooms when they were not occupied, which “actually wasn’t too bad.”
But with only one big, open shower, the players waited until they got home to clean up.
“it’s very similar across the Victorian Women’s Football League – one toilet, urinals and open showers,” Ms Grant said.
Thunder’s home ground, Dower Park in Kangaroo Flat, has not historically had female change rooms.
Construction of new change rooms and two new netball courts are underway.
Kangaroo Flat Football Netball Club president Greg McClure said the change rooms would make a “massive difference” to the success of the club’s social activities.
“Because the girls don’t have change rooms they have to go home and come back to the ground,” he said.
“A lot of people don’t feel like returning
“That’s not great for a club situation in making sure social events are well attended, and every club that has to deal with the same circumstances would be in the same position.”
Mr McClure said the club was in a better position than most.
“In the past 12 months we’ve seen a massive improvement because of our social rooms being re-done,” he said.
Before then, women’s toilets were even more scarce.
A change room for male netballers is being incorporated into the ongoing works.
“It’s not just the girls we are trying to look after, it’s the men involved in the netball side of things as well,” Mr McClure said.
Popularity of women’s football propelling need for facilities
The rapid and rising popularity of women’s football is adding urgency to the need for women’s amenities.
Mr McClure anticipated female friendly training and changing facilities would be in even higher demand in future because of women’s football.
“There are that many girls out there that want to play,” Mr McClure said.
“The AFL has got a big future ahead of it with women’s football.
“The juniors, let alone the Thunder, is just getting bigger and bigger, so we really need the facilities yesterday.”
Ms Grant said female friendly change rooms would add another level of professionalism and comfort to the league.
The club hopes to have a place to call their own in future.
“Bendigo Thunder has been around for around six years now,” Ms Grant said.
“I’d like to hope people are starting to think about that now.”