More women and girls will be kicking goals and hitting sixes, thanks to a more than $160,000 upgrade to the Holdsworth Pavilion at Harry Trott Oval.
Mayor Dick Gross said the upgraded change rooms and amenities would allow significantly more female athletes to play at the Albert Park Reserve ground weekly.
Cr Gross congratulated the terrific community fund-raising effort which was supported by a Victorian Government grant.
The Harry Trott Association (HTA), made up of Wesley College, Collegians Amateur Football Club and Cricket Victoria, raised $80,496, which was then matched by the Victorian Government through the 2018/19 Community Sports Infrastructure Fund (Female Friendly Facilities). Council officers facilitated the grant application.
“Every athlete deserves access to quality facilities at the grounds they use. Before this redevelopment, there was a distinct lack of female-friendly facilities within the Albert Park precinct,” Cr Gross said.
“Council is proud to have assisted an application which promotes the huge growth in female sporting participation and we will continue to support sporting opportunities for women throughout our City.”
The existing change rooms have been completely refurbished. There are now four female-friendly change rooms, together with shower and toilet facilities.
Holdsworth Pavilion will be busier than ever as it is anticipated there will now be more than 1000 regular users of the oval, with the number of female athletes expected to grow from 40 up to 300 in a dramatic weekly increase.
After fielding their first women’s team in 2017 and expanding to three teams in the current VAFA season, the Collegians Football Club has shown how popular female football has become. The Club, and its visitors, will be able to use and enjoy the new facilities this season.
When not being enjoyed by HTA members, the oval and Holdsworth Pavilion are available for community cricket, football or soccer games or local state school sports programs.
