Some of our older members would remember that when we moved to McIvor Reserve in 1994 we shared our pavilion with the Yarraville Soccer Club. Either side of the operable wall were duplicated facilities, facilities that all became ours in the year 2000. For the last 17 years we have had two kitchens, two downstairs storerooms, two sets of upstairs storerooms, etc.

So at long last we have the chance to replace a dodgy floorplan with something befitting a 600 member club, a club that provides programs for young and old, social players through to Australian players! Our new floorplan started with a mandate to make our ‘new’ pavilion female-friendly and it certainly will be! No longer are our females asked to share access to showers with males in the adjacent change-room, because each of our four changerooms will have their own bank of showers and female-friendly amenity areas. One of the changerooms will be developed to suit elite-team needs via access to ice-bath facilities, and beyond that direct access to our new physio / massage room.

Our building will also feature:

  • New meeting spaces that will be built above the current changerooms. A smaller space (the Boardroom) will be available permanently for small meetings, whilst the adjacent large meeting room will be 50% larger than our current meeting room (incr from 24m2 to 37m2).
  • A separate, large Canteen with separate Kitchenette. Our kitchenette will be fitted out with all-new state of art commercial standard kitchen appliances, whilst the canteen area will highlight our new drinks storage system within our professional coolroom. Doors will be fitted on the side of the coolroom so that our access will be similar to the large doors utilised at 7 Eleven and the like. No more tiny fridges for us!
  • A strengthened floor will be provided under our new gymnasium, and all obstructions will be removed (the boiler room, the air-handling duct). And the new gym will be much larger, increasing from 60 m2 to 80 m2.
  • Access to our mezzanine floor will be via a new wider staircase, and via a new lift. Those with a disability will also be better provided for via the addition of two dedicated DDA-approved toilet / shower facilities.
  • Our training resources will be well-housed via specialist storage areas facing F1. Behind a large roller-shutter will be a bank of wheelie-bins containing junior and senior training balls and kids’ sticks, whilst an adjacent storeroom will contain other training aids.
  • And our social area will be totally renewed via a total re-painting job over and above new floor coverings.

Works will also be undertaken to improve the appearance of our pavilion as people approach it from Fogarty Avenue. The industrial bins will be relocated away from the pavilion, and new aesthetic fencing will replace the current wire-mesh fencing that surrounds the inner car-park. Something will also be done to upgrade the appearance of the pavilion’s southern wall. Any thoughts on that would be appreciated!

Planning & Performance Director

Brendan Sheehan – 0405 061 536