Facility review underway

The City of Greater Bendigo is reviewing its sports facilities as part of a regional football and netball strategy. 

It comes as community groups and parents have called for upgraded amenities to support women in sport. 

Concerned mother Cath Robertson said it would be irresponsible of council not to provide interim solutions.

“At least provide running water and portable amenities until the review is complete,” Mrs Robertson said about the Queen Elizabeth Oval.

She wants female athletes to be able to come off the QEO, straight into the change rooms, like their male counterparts.

Mrs Robertson, whose daughter plays netball for Sandhurst, raised safety concerns about young girls having to access the same area as the men’s football away sides to change and shower.

“It’s just wrong… council needs to act,” she said. 

“Most people that have spoken to me have said it is unbelievable that they are expecting you to go away from the courts when you are playing there.”

Acting Active and Healthy Communities manager Lincoln Fitzgerald said a female change room had been provided at the Queen Elizabeth Oval as part of redevelopment works at the neighbouring Bendigo Aquatic Centre, completed in 2006.

“It is really up to the clubs whether they want to use it or not,” he said.

“Is 159 metres too far to go and get changed and have a shower and use a bathroom?”

The regional football netball strategy will take into account facilities and participation in sport in the Loddon Mallee area.

Mr Fitzgerald said Netball Victoria, AFL central Victoria and all of the municipalities in the area were involved. 

“We are probably halfway through a regional football netball strategy,” he said. 

“That piece of work will just give us a really good basis for our prioritisation.

“It is supposed to be completed this calendar year.”

The costs and benefits of projects factor into council’s priorities. 

Mr Fitzgerald said council had in the past considered a proposal for a temporary solution, such as portables, at the Queen Elizabeth Oval.

“On the cost of it, to have it plumbed in as a temporary measure, is not something we would support,” he said.

“We would rather look at a longer-term solution.”

But he said council had yet to determine whether or not it was something that had to be prioritised. 

“We will continue to work with AFL central Victoria, Netball Victoria and the Bendigo Football Netball League to understand what the priorities are for these facilities,” Mr Fitzgerald said.

“At the moment we don’t have any funding to do any designs on a female change room.

“There is no funding available just at this second that is open to us to apply for.”

Council has focused in recent years on upgrading and building change rooms at soccer grounds.

Mrs Robertson said there had been netball grand finals held at the QEO for 25 years, and still no facilities for netballers near the courts. 

“Do they think that is adequate?” she said.

Bendigo business leader Margaret O’Rourke said an audit of the region’s sports facilities was a good start. 

“I think it is something that has crept up on people,” she said. 

“My two girls, 10 and 14, both play football and netball.

“I certainly think the facilities across the board, and certainly the women’s facilities, need to be strongly looked at.”

She stressed the QEO’s importance as a regional facility.

“I think there is a real opportunity for some great facilities to be built at the ground,” she said.

Member for Bendigo Lisa Chesters said earlier this week federal funding was needed to speed up the process of upgrading and building facilities. 

“If we fund it how we are currently funding infrastructure it will take years, and that’s not good enough,” she said.

“The solution to these woes needs to be a three-way partnership between local, state and federal governments.”