Cade Lucas
Sporting clubs based at Braybrook’s Pennell Reserve fear they’ll go under unless facilities at the venue are upgraded.
Both of the venue’s major tenants, the Braybrook Sporting Club (which includes football and netball) and St Andrews Cricket Club, claim substandard facilities inhibit their ability to recruit players and to develop women’s and junior programs.
Braybrook Sporting Club president Anthony Dunlop said discussions with Maribyrnong council about upgrading Pennell Reserve, particularly the main pavilion, had been going on for at least 15 years without success.
He said the increasing interest in women’s sport during that time meant upgrades to the Pennell Reserve pavilion were now more urgent than ever.
“Our home change rooms go straight into the men’s toilets which is a problem, particularly for senior women’s and junior teams,” said Mr Dunlop, adding that the substandard facilities had proven a turn-off for both new and existing players.
“We’ve tried for a number of years to restart juniors and have restarted the women’s team a number of times in the last five years, but players don’t come back and it’s hard to attract players and sponsors.”
St Andrews Cricket Club Vice-President Thomas Stoneham said they faced the same issues with the pavilion as the football club, but that the problems extended to cricket specific facilities as well.
“Our cricket nets are not up to Cricket Victoria standards. They’re sagging, they’re uphill and the matting is worn out.
“And there’s only two and when you’ve got two nets with 30 people training, most people can’t get a decent hit,” Mr Stoneham said.
Maribyrnong mayor Pradeep Tiwari said new flood lights and a new scoreboard had been installed at Pennell Reserve in recent years, while a master plan for a new pavilion had entered the design phase and initial designs would be shared with tenant clubs in the coming months.
“Once approved, the new facilities will include appropriate bathroom facilities that will also be female friendly and meet modern expectations,” Cr Tiwari said.
“Completion of a new pavilion is subject to future council budget deliberations.”
Mr Dunlop said any upgrade must be done properly.
“I don’t want to settle for something quick and that’s not something that can be used for the next 25 years.”
