By Shelby Brooks
A $4million plan to raze Pearcedale’s blue eyesore could not come fast enough for the 120 female football players who call the ‘Dales home.
The outdated pavilion, which is home of the Pearcedale Cricket Club, Pearcedale Baxter Junior Football Club and Pearcedale Football Netball Club has been described as “embarrassing” by the presidents of the three clubs, who say they’ve been advocating for years for funding for an upgrade.
Junior Football Club president John Barbaressos said it would be difficult to find another club in the shire with a bigger girl’s and women’s side.
“We want to try push it through as soon as we can because trying to go another season without the facilities, especially for our females, will be a killer,” he said.
Under 18s girls football coach Lance Wood said the girls don’t like having to use the current change rooms.
“You have to shut the door because there’s no privacy from outside,” he said.
“There’s one toilet which is pretty average and bank showers.”
Money for the upgrade works was announced 14 April, with $2 million from the Growing Suburbs Fund and $2 million from the City of Casey.
The old facility will be completely replaced with a $4 million purpose-built community pavilion to support district-level AFL, cricket and netball activities.
The redevelopment will include a separate community space as well as unisex change rooms.
The scope of works also includes a multipurpose community room, kitchen, unisex umpire’s rooms, a first-aid room, office, storage and undercover outdoor area.
The Pearcedale Recreation Reserve redevelopment is slated for completion at the end of 2022.
The club presidents are hoping they get to have a say in some of the design elements, saying they like the idea of the rooms being built up to allow a view of the other side of the ground, retaining a verandah like the current one and having windows for a good view of the back oval but also enough wall space for their honour boards.
But the sentiment is that anything will be better than what they currently have.
They’ve had one room permanently shut off due to water damage.
“We’ve kept the pavilion serviceable over the years,” Lance said.
“We might not have to demolish it. It might fall down.”
