Members of the Cherry Gardens Ironbank Recreation Ground’s sporting teams (from left) Maddi Taylor, Mikayla Sharrad, Jack Sharrad, Brianna Hobbs, Logan Pulford and Jayden Hughes.

Published on 20 October 2020

Upgrades on the mark

New changerooms will keep local sporting clubs in winning form.

Work is getting under way on building new male and female changerooms in community sporting and recreation centres at Cherry Gardens, Flagstaff Hill and Hackham.

Funding for the new buildings is being contributed by council and the state government’s Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing through its Grassroots Football, Cricket and Netball Facility Program. The aim of the program is to increase participation and improve gender equity in the sports for the benefit of the community through the development of good quality and well-designed amenities.

The projects will provide the local communities with significantly improved sports, recreation and social facilities.

The Cherry Gardens Ironbank Recreation Ground is a community-owned facility, managed on behalf of the community by a committee of volunteers. The ground is home to a growing number of football, netball, cricket and tennis teams. President of the Cherry Gardens Ironbank Football Club, Don Watton, welcomes the renewal of the facilities built in 1988 for players and the community.

After a funding agreement was reached in July this year for $277,000 to be delivered by council and $255,000 from the Grassroots Program, Don and fellow committee members drew up detailed specifications of the changerooms and selected an architect and builder. Designs of the new buildings were being finalised at the time of writing, with a goal to turning the sod in December.

“The sporting clubs are excited about the new buildings, as is the entire Cherry Gardens and Ironbank community,” Don says. “This is the first real infrastructure that we’ve been able to have funded.

“This is a significant project for our club. We hope that having good facilities brings a level of confidence in the community that our club is growing and that we’re a good recreational organisation to be part of,” Don says.

ACING IT

Members of the Cherry Gardens Ironbank Recreation Ground’s sporting teams (from left) Maddi Taylor, Mikayla Sharrad, Jack Sharrad, Brianna Hobbs, Logan Pulford and Jayden Hughes.