Bardon Latrobe Football Club will receive $500,000 government funding to improve its local community sport infrastructure.
Dr Phil Cowlishaw, president of the football club, said the grant will benefit the whole community and will improve facilities heavily used.
In 2018, the club’s application for a $250,000 grant from the Brisbane City Council was approved. It will be used to build a new changing room facility at Bowman Park.
Dr Cowlishaw said the $500K grant they will receive from the Federal Government will be used to complete that work, plus renovate the toilets and referee’s rooms, build an all-access disabled toilet, and upgrade the clubhouse.
He revealed they haven’t had an upgrade since the 1990s and they desperately need a makeover.
“I’m most pleased that we will be able to provide facilities for our female members,’’ he said.
Dr Cowlishaw said the northern end of the current clubhouse can now be developed to provide modern bathroom facilities for their members and visitors.
In turn they will redevelop the ‘old’ changing rooms into a multi-function bathroom with baby changing facilities and disabled access.
Football Queensland Infrastructure and Government Relations consultant David O’Leary said the development of club facilities is a key strategy of Football Queensland to aid in growing the game. He said that there is no doubt upgrading facilities is a key driver to increasing and retaining participants within communities.
The grant is part of the second $30 million round of the Government’s Community Sports Infrastructure Program. Bardon Latrobe is among the 11 Football Queensland affiliated clubs to receive funding from the Federal Government.
The ten other Football Queensland affiliates approved for funding are Callide United FC, Dolphins FC (Mackay), FQ South West Zone, Coomera/Gold Coast CC, Holland Park Hawks FC, Maroochydore FC, Moreton Bay United FC, North Brisbane FC, Northern Beaches UFC, and Rochedale Rovers FC.