Debate rages over Squash’s future in Gawler as football outgrows its boots
The days of the Gawler Squash Club may be numbered as the South Gawler Football Club looks to move into its facilities, as it outgrows its own clubrooms.
Barossa, Clare & Gawler
Don't miss out on the headlines from Barossa, Clare & Gawler. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The days of the Gawler Squash Club may be numbered as the South Gawler Football Club looks to move into its facilities which its holds the lease over, as it outgrows its own clubrooms.
Tensions between the two codes came to a head on Tuesday night at the Gawler Council Meeting, where representatives from both groups made presentations to council.
It comes as leaseholders, South Gawler Football Club announce they have given the squash club formal notice to vacate the premises by June 17, a move which Vice President Cosie Costa said was not an easy decision.
“We have outgrown our facility, we have over 200 families involved with out club who use our rooms, as well as netball teams, cricket teams and now women’s football … the squash club has 10,” Mr Costa said.
“Our facilities are poor, our changerooms are restrictively small and we really shouldn’t be using them during this Covid period anyway.”
He said no members of the squash club paid their yearly membership to the club as part of their affiliation agreement and no members attended the 2019 AGM where the decision to take over the court was voted on.
Geoff Baynes, CEO of Squash SA said it would be a major loss to the squash community to lose the courts at Gawler as it is the only facility only between Ingle Farm and the Barossa.
“One community club wants to cause the demise of another, one that if you don’t allow it to exist there, it will disappear completely,” he said.
“We’re happy to operate on a shared use basis, my belief is there are a number of solutions, how are they going to use the court as a changeroom, (it’s) a concrete slab, there’s also only one toilet.”
“They say they’ll also use the court to warm up, but last time I checked football is an outdoor sport and you don’t need an indoor warm up area.”
Mr Baynes who was CEO of the Norwood SANFL football club said while in 1973 the squash club had 70 members, the football clubs incursion onto its courts had negatively affected its membership base.
“There are lots of grants, why can't the club apply through the AFL or SANFL to get money for a changeroom, it's an outdoor game.”
After this lengthy discussion before the council, Mr Costa met with Mr Baynes and a group of squash club members outside the council chambers, with no resolution ultimately reached.
Following the deputations, the Gawler Council who own the land at Gawler South passed a motion for a report be prepared to the next council meeting regarding the lease.
It also stipulated that no decision could be made on the lease or for changes or demolition to occur to the courts until the report is considered by Council.
Mr Costa said the situation is unfortunate and that the football club had considered every option available to them.
“Until we can go to a facility where we have more space we can't do anything else, our association and the SANFL have said that our current set up isn’t up to scratch.”
“We support squash, every sport, they're all part of our affiliates but unfortunately we just can't coexist at this minute.”
More Coverage
‘He can finally find peace’: Family’s relief at murder verdict
He was murdered and buried, but never forgotten by his family and friends. Now, Stephen Murphy’s loved ones have welcomed a jury’s verdict on his killer.
Meet SA’s future leaders captaining the class of 2025
They are the South Australian teens dreaming of careers as politicians, doctors and chefs but first these 25+ school captains share why they wanted the top job.