Upgrade needed: Shepparton United plays out of Princess Park and wants better clubrooms.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
It is time for an upgrade to Shepparton Youth Club United Cricket Club’s rooms at Princess Park, according to president Steve Tate.
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The club boasts three male senior sides, two women's sides and over 100 club members.
Mr Tate said it was pretty hard running a club out of what are considered tiny rooms.
"We have over 100 members, and our rooms are tough to run a club, currently," Mr Tate said.
He said it was challenging, considering the club was eager to attract more females to the sport and to create more engagement in the community.
"We want to create community, and with people coming from all different backgrounds and cultures, we want to make it their second home as a community," he said.
Embarking on a journey: The club will have two senior women’s sides this season.
He said there were further logistical difficulties during the crossover between the winter and summer seasons, with Shepparton Swans netballers needing to use the rooms.
"It is hard considering when it comes to crossover time where young netballers in their pre-season have to use the clubrooms for changing, but it is uncomfortable with fully grown men waiting to change as well," Mr Tate said.
"Hopefully, we can get a small upgrade that can bring it up to scratch, which would be vital to the club.“
Former club captain Chaminda Vidanapathirana, who played first-class cricket in Sri Lanka, said the state of the rooms was “embarrassing”.
"One hundred people are all trying to use facilities, which are a small toilet block,” he said.
“It's embarrassing. I've played all over the world, and these are the worst change rooms I've seen. We're not expecting it to be Lord’s, but we want it to be decent.”
Greater Shepparton City Council director of infrastructure Gary Randhawa said an upgrade to the facilities at Princess Park was among his organisation’s highest priorities.
"Council have been working with the stakeholders at Princess Park Reserve for a number of years to investigate and further support the highest priorities from the Future Directions and Master Plan 2019,” he said.
“Female-friendly/gender-inclusive facilities are lacking at Princess Park Reserve and is one of the highest priority areas of focus for council and the user groups.
“Officers are continuing to work through design and planning investigations for a number of options in this regard, as well as advocacy for funding given the high use for female sport, in particular the uptake in women’s and youth girls cricket.”
