Ellinbank opens its rooms
Ellinbank Football Netball Club kicked off its first home game in style by officially opening the doors of the brand-new sports pavilion at Ellinbank Recreation Reserve.
With Ellinbank’s senior football team enjoying a big lead over Nilma-Darnum on the field, off-field member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing cut the ribbon to the impressive facility, standing alongside life member Ernie Matkovich whose substantial donation paved the way for its construction.
In a further boost to celebrate the pavilion opening, Ms Shing announced $80,000 from the state government’s Country Football and Netball Program to install new lighting at Ellinbank Recreation Reserve Oval.
This extra project will install 100 lux lighting at Ellinbank for more training later into the evening, as well as opening the door for night matches.
New lighting will improve access to these facilities for local clubs, schools and the wider community, and help the Ellinbank clubs welcome more members than ever before.
“Combined with the new pavilion, this is a great opportunity to open more doors for women and girls,” Ms Shing said.
Ellinbank’s new junior football club will be a key driver of the youth girls program, working closely with AFL Gippsland. The club already has 71 players and three junior teams of boys and girls.
The state government delivered $100,000 from its Community Sports Infrastructure Fund to build the new Ellinbank pavilion.
The Pavilion boasts an indoor multi-training facility for netball, football and cricket, as well as players and umpires’ changing rooms that meet AFL standards. It also features club offices, a medical room and a gym.
Ellinbank Recreation Reserve is not only home to the Ellinbank Football Netball Club, but the Ellinbank Cricket Club and Ellinbank Junior Football Club, all of which will now have access to the new facility.
Local schools that use it for sporting events throughout the year will also reap the benefits of the new facilities.
“This modern facility is going to make a world of difference to Ellinbank – and with the addition of lighting – players, volunteers, families and umpires will have better access to all this pavilion has to offer,” Ms Shing said.
“This pavilion features AFL standard change rooms for men and women, which will encourage even more women and girls to get involved as AFL Gippsland continues to go from strength to strength.”
Baw Baw Shire deputy mayor Mikaela Power thanked the state government and Ellinbank Football Netball Club for their funding contributions and expressed her gratitude in being able to work together to deliver a project that encourages participation irrespective of age and gender.
“As a Council we aim to provide facilities that support a healthy, active and inclusive community and are proud to deliver this important grass roots infrastructure for the Ellinbank community to enjoy,” she said.
“The new change rooms will set this reserve up for the future and allow the Ellinbank Football and Netball Club to adequately cater for their players, future players, supporters and the wider Baw Baw Shire community.
“This project will help to future proof this facility and allow it to cater for the diverse range of groups who make use of this reserve at all times of the year.”