Federal MP rallies behind club’s upgrade push

Players alongside Jason Wood, waiting in torrential rain to get changed. 183188_01

By Rowan Forster

 Federal MP Jason Wood has hurled his support behind the Pakenham Football and Netball Club, describing the ageing facilities as “totally unacceptable”.

He has urged Cardinia Shire to pursue an application on behalf of the club, to acquire a cash splash under the Turnbull Government’s Building Better Regions fund.

During a recent visit alongside budding netball players, Mr Wood watched as about 100 young girls languished in torrential rain while waiting to get changed.

“The seniors club needs a major upgrade and renovations but the real eye-opener was the junior teams,” Mr Wood said.

“They’ve got no showers, no facilities and it was bucketing down with rain.

“Once their training finished, they were lining up outside in the rain, waiting to get changed – and that is totally unacceptable.”

Despite the lacklustre infrastructure, the LaTrobe MP said the enthusiasm shared by the club’s members was remarkable.

“It’s a fantastic club and the enthusiasm is quite incredible considering how bad the facilities are,” he said.

“It is pretty average that this hasn’t been addressed.”

Pakenham Football Club president Travis Hamilton has also been outspoken about the club’s lack of facilities – citing serious safety concerns for the girls, who are often inadvertently walked-in on while changing.

A mother, who did not want to be identified to prevent embarrassing her daughter, said she was “quite shaken” after accidentally being exposed during a weekend changeover several weeks ago.

She said it was “disgraceful” that the club’s desperate pleas to Cardinia Shire for support had fallen on deaf ears.

“It seems like one of those situations where something horrible has to happen before the message is received and something is done,” she told the Gazette.

“It’s deterring the kids from competing – and that’s a horrible thing for them in their younger years.”

It comes after the Gazette reported the junior Endeavour Hills away team were forced to disrobe and dress out in the open, in broad daylight.

In a statement, Cardinia Shire touted the This Girl Can initiative and said it had allocated funding for several reserves to be upgraded – including Toomuc Reserve – but a formal announcement is yet to be made.

“Much like the rest of Australia, our shire is experiencing an increase in female participation in football and cricket – which is fantastic,” council’s acting general manager for community wellbeing, Stephen Sparrow said.

“We recognise the need for change room facilities that are designed for both universal access and female use, especially at many of our older sporting facilities across the shire.

Council has already allocated funding for the provision of upgrading a number of facilities to make them suitable for all ages and genders – Toomuc Reserve South pavilion being one of these facilities.”