Friday, 2 June 2023
WODONGA HOCKEY AND BMX LAND NEW PAVILIONS
Wodonga Hockey Club, Border BMX Club and Hockey Albury Wodonga have scored new and upgraded pavilions at Wodonga’s Birralee Park, thanks to the Andrews Labor Government.
Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes today joined Wodonga City Council Mayor, Cr Ron Mildren and club representatives to officially open the new hockey pavilion and upgraded BMX pavilion, made possible by a $1.65 million investment from the Community Sports Infrastructure Stimulus Program.
The new and upgraded pavilions provide the more than 380 members of the local clubs based at Birralee Park access to modern accessible facilities and room to grow. Complete with two ovals, cricket practice facility, netball court, BMX facility and synthetic hockey field, Birralee Park is one of Wodonga’s major sports venues.
The new hockey pavilion includes female friendly change rooms and umpire rooms, accessible public amenities, a multi-purpose room, canteen and a raised viewing area with undercover walkway.
The existing BMX club rooms have also been upgraded to include four female friendly accessible change rooms, accessible public amenities, first aid room, a kitchen/canteen and a meeting room.
The new and upgraded pavilions will provide the perfect base for local hockey and BMX to host training and competitions, build on local membership and development programs, and host events at the popular precinct.
They complement the recently completed lighting installed across the oval and courts at Birralee Park, also made possible by a $250,000 investment from the Victorian Government.
The pavilions benefitted from a share of $178 million from the Community Sports Infrastructure Stimulus Program that recognises the overwhelming demand for shovel-ready community sports infrastructure across Victoria and is part of the Government’s investment of more than $1.9 billion in community sport and active recreation infrastructure since 2014.
Investments like these are all about creating jobs, stimulating local economies, levelling the playing field and fast-tracking community recovery by improving the health, wellbeing, and social outcomes for Victorian communities.
Ms Symes acknowledged the Wodonga City Council for its commitment and $800,000 financial contribution, the Federal Government’s $500,000 contribution, and Wodonga Hockey Club’s contribution of $200,000 towards the hockey pavilion.
For more information about infrastructure grant opportunities available through the Victorian Government visit sport.vic.gov.au
Quotes attributable to Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes
“For too long clubs like the Wodonga Hockey Club, Hockey Albury Wodonga, and Border BMX Club have been struggling with outdated changerooms - they deserve facilities that allow everyone a chance to get involved.”
“The new pavilions provide a real incentive for local clubs to ramp up training and development and host more events.”
“Better sport and recreation facilities make it easier for Victorians to get back to local sport and recreation when it is safe to do so and lead healthy and active lifestyles.”
