Upgrades on the agenda
The need for Baw Baw Shire Council to upgrade existing football facilities and deliver additional grounds were on the agenda for Drouin football club president Chris Soumilas when he hosted mayor Annemarie McCabe and Cr Keith Cook, both west ward councillors, at the football and netball clubs' business partners and sponsors day luncheon.
Mr Soumilas reiterated what he earlier in the year stated at a full meeting of council.
He said he was delighted that Crs McCabe and Cook accepted the invitation to the luncheon to see first hand some of the issues as well as the strong community support for and involvement the netball and football clubs.
Improvements to Drouin recreation reserve where the Drouin football and netball clubs were based were immediately needed and additional grounds created in Drouin for the growing population and expansion of football.
Drouin Football Club currently fields six teams, including two female sides, and there are eight netball teams, six competing in Gippsland League and two feeder teams in the Warragul and district and Drouin and district associations.
Additionally, the Drouin Junior Football Club has seven teams that share Bellbird Park oval in winter months with the Gippsland Umpires Association.
Heading the list of needs Mr Soumilas outlines are sealing and kerbing of the roadway around the football oval that has been part of mast plans for the oval for about two decades and which now also carried about 250 cars each school day as a "drop off, pick up" access for students at adjoining St Ita's Primary School and reconstruction of the sub-standard oval.
Also needed are adequate nets behind the