Female-friendly facilities a win
Work on new changerooms at Horsham’s Dudley Cornell Park will reflect a growing need to ensure facilities provide services for all sporting participants, including women.
Modern public toilets will be included as part of the new female-friendly building, and a sheltered barbecue area will be located between two ovals at the reserve.
In the future, Horsham Rural City Council will install two art works created at Horsham Northfest events, at the reserve.
The council has allocated $160,000 to support the projects, with a Sport and Recreation Victoria grant contributing $100,000.
Dudley Cornell Park in Horsham North is one of the Wimmera’s busiest sporting facilities, hosting cricket, junior football, athletics and soccer.
Amenities at the reserve, home of Colts Cricket Club and an historic base for former Imperials Football Club, which formed with returned servicemen after the Second World War, are outdated.
Changerooms fall short of modern standards and public toilets are 100 metres from the building.
Cr Josh Koenig, a member of the Dudley Cornell Park Advisory Committee, said increasing female participation was key to revitalising the popular recreation area.
“This reserve was virtually my backyard when growing up and it’s pleasing to see improvements happening,” he said.
“Female participation in sport is a key focus area of council’s Health and Wellbeing Plan and this sort of investment will open the doors for many new and emerging players to participate in sport, as they will simply feel more comfortable” – Josh Koenig
“It means the park will be a modern facility and every person in the community can enjoy its benefits.
“We recognise that many local sports facilities, built about 50 years ago when sport was a male-dominated area, simply are not accessible for women or people with disabilities.
“Female participation in sport is a key focus area of council’s Health and Wellbeing Plan and this sort of investment will open the doors for many new and emerging players to participate in sport, as they will simply feel more comfortable.”
Cr Koenig said the park’s user groups were in full support of proposals to increase female participation in sport.
“Clubs at the park are all keen to provide more sports programs that are aimed at teenage girls,” he said.
“It’s also the main option as a recreation facility for people in Horsham North, so it’s critical the infrastructure meets the community’s expectations.”