Pennant Hills Demons Juniors secure new clubhouse with $1M funding

Almost $1 million has been secured for the development of a new clubhouse for hundreds of junior AFL players in booming northwest Sydney club.

Hornsby MP Matt Kean (middle) has secured $1 million for the construction of a new clubhouse and facilities for the Pennant Hills Demons JAFLC. With Kean are representatives from the club: club president Steve Protogeros, committee member Dean Moran, U17 player Isaac Protogeros, U9 player Xavier Protogeros, U12 player-to-be Zara Protogeros and club registrar Jenni Stewart with youth girls 16 players Anna Stewart and Ciara Richards. Picture: Julian Andrews

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Almost $1 million has been secured for the development of a new clubhouse for hundreds of Pennant Hills Demons Junior players in a landmark announcement for the thriving Aussie rules football club.

Hornsby state Liberal MP Matt Kean said the major upgrade of facilities at Ern Holmes Oval — which he revealed exclusively with the Advocate — would include new change rooms, umpires rooms, three female and male toilets, storage, two canteens, community and office space.

“This is something the community has been calling for and I am pleased to be able to help deliver this great facility,” Mr Kean said.

“The Pennant Hills Demons Junior Club were successful in their applications for the NSW Government Greater Sydney Sports Facility Fund and will receive $965,000 towards the upgrade to their clubhouse.”

Concept designs for the new clubhouse for the Pennant Hills Demons Juniors.

Mr Kean said it was time for the Pennant Hills Demons, “one of the greatest sporting clubs in western Sydney, to get the facilities they deserve”.

“I am fighting to ensure Hornsby has some of the best sports facilities for all of our sporting clubs to benefit from,” he said.

“This will not only benefit the Pennant Hills Demons but all the sporting organisations that use Pennant Hills Oval.”

Pennant Hills Demons Junior club president Steve Protogeros said the upgrade had been a goal of the growing club for 10 to 15 years.

“12 months ago we formed a sub committee and we really attacked it and brought together a number of people to work on it and it just grew legs and gained momentum,” he said.

“We had great involvement from all levels of government — councillor Nathan Tilbury, Federal MP Julian Leeser and State MP Matt Kean were so engaged, open and accessible throughout the entire process.”

Mr Protogeros said he met with other sporting code representatives using the oval to ask what they needed in the upgrade.

“The facilities that we had were more than 50 years old and desperately needed to be upgraded,” he said.

Club president Steve Protogeros, committee member Dean Moran, U17 player Isaac Protogeros, U9 player Xavier Protogeros, U12 player-to-be Zara Protogeros and club registrar Jenni Stewart with youth girls 16 players Anna Stewart and Ciara Richards. Picture: Julian Andrews

“With the expansion of girls football — a couple of years ago it just didn’t exist — now we have 6-7 teams, the club is continuing to grow at a rapid rate and our old facilities simply wouldn’t have been able to accommodate us.”

“These new facilities will be first class, it's a win for all the kids of the northwest.”