DELWP Regional Director Steve Chapple, LVA Director Andrew Waller, Wellington Shire Mayor Carolyn Crossley, Cowwarr Recreation Reserve Committee of Management President Ray Bebbington, Cowwarr FNC committee member Garry Blair and club president Michael McNulty cut the ribbon to open the new facility.
A female friendly facelift at Cowwarr Recreation Reserve has been fulfilled as part of the State Government’s $5 million Community Managed Places (CMP) fund for Gippsland sporting venues.
Cowwarr’s new women’s netball, football and umpire change rooms were today officially unveiled by Committee of Management President Ray Bebbington and Wellington Shire Mayor Carolyn Crossley following a $1.08M refurbishment, marking the first of nine local reserves to be upgraded under the initiative.
Cr Crossley said the works at Cowwarr included new unisex home and away change rooms, trainers’ rooms, umpires’ change rooms, as well as male, female and family friendly amenities.
“This upgrade at Cowwarr has lifted the spirits of the town,” Cr Crossley said.
“The Cowwarr Recreation Reserve is a vital part of the community and is not only used for children’s, men’s and women’s sport, but is also a place to congregate for other community events and celebrations.”
The project was jointly funded by the Wellington Shire Council ($496,000), Department of Environment Land Water and Planning (DELWP) and Latrobe Valley Authority ($450,000), Sport and Recreation Victori ($100,000) and Cowwarr Football Netball Club and the reserve’s committee of management ($40,000).
At today’s event, DELWP Regional Director Steve Chapple announced project funding for another eight reserves as part of the CMP program.
“Sport is such a significant part of bringing our community together, and these upgrades will ensure our clubs are able to cater for growing participation in sport across our region, in particular female participation.”
“We have been working closely with these clubs and local Council to ensure projects nominated will most benefit each of the facilities in terms of future participation and best use of space,” Mr Chapple said.
Reserves to benefit from the upgrades include:
- Gormandale Recreation Reserve – lighting upgrades for football and netball.
- Heyfield Recreation Reserve – cricket training nets (including three new bays with retractable nets), resurfacing of existing netball court and development of second court and upgrade to lighting on main oval.
- Traralgon Recreation Reserve – reconstruction of netball courts, complete with a lighting upgrade, renovations to change rooms and toilet amenities and improved safety measures for roller derby.
- Glengarry Recreation Reserve – New indoor and outdoor cricket facilities as well as change rooms for women and umpires
- Maryvale Recreation Reserve – installation of four lanes of retractable cricket training nets and female change facilities and upgrades to the umpires’ rooms.
- Monash Recreation Reserve – lighting will be upgraded to enable increased participation.
- Ronald Reserve – existing tennis fencing repaired and new change rooms installed, catering to a growing female participation base.
- Willow Grove Recreation Reserve – multipurpose female friendly match day facilities for netball, tennis and umpires.
The Community Managed Places fund forms part of the $85 million Latrobe Valley Sports and Community Initiative administered by the Latrobe Valley Authority.
For more information visit lva.vic.gov.au/latrobe-valley-sports-community-initiative
