Port Melbourne Netball Club joins forces with school to lobby for new court
A BOOMING inner-south community netball club that needs room to grow is backing Port Melbourne Primary’s push for a competition-grade indoor court to be built at the school.
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A BLOSSOMING community netball club is backing Port Melbourne Primary’s push for a competition-grade indoor court to be built at the school.
School leaders are working on an ambitious multi-million-dollar masterplan to accommodate the school’s booming enrolments.
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Club president Trish Oliver told the Leader the new court, which is part of the masterplan, would relieve pressure on the growing club, where membership has jumped 150 per cent in just two years.
“(The club) started two years ago with about 60 players across six teams, now we’re up to about 150 and we’ve got 16 teams — that’s just in two years,” she said.
“We’re expecting to pretty much keep going on the same incline, maybe even a bit further.”
The club, whose members range from five years old to adult, currently trains on an outdoor court at RF Julier Reserve where Ms Oliver said sessions were at the mercy of the weather and lighting.
She said the indoor court would allow the club to expand its training timetable into the evening.
“Our club is growing at pretty much the same rate (as the school and suburb) so to have an indoor court is amazing because it cuts out the whole weather factor for us,” Ms Oliver said.
“It means we can keep the kids more active for longer because the weather isn’t a factor; it keeps them safe because it’s indoors and that way we can keep the kids engaged in sport, which is the main thing.”
Ms Oliver said the club hadn’t been able to proactively recruit more players because “we worry about having enough facilities”.
“We would love more room to expand — we’re a community club so we’re there for everyone.”
Ms Oliver said she didn’t want to be turning people away due to a lack of space for new teams to train.
The club currently plays matches at the State Netball Centre in Parkville but Ms Oliver said mini-tournaments against rival clubs could be played at the new court.
She said a well-lit, indoor court also had the added “safety factor” of a controlled environment that a public space didn’t offer.
“Obviously being competition standard it all has to be perfect, so the surface will be amazing, all the measurements and the space will be fantastic,” Ms Oliver said.
“This would be huge for us as a community club, and all the other community clubs that will get access to it as well.”
Meanwhile, Port Melbourne Primary leaders are working on their submission to next year’s State Budget.
A multi-million dollar upgrade of the overcrowded school, designed by Williams Boag Architects, would see several existing portables removed and replaced with permanent classrooms.
Relocatable toilets “very close to their use-by date” would also be taken away as part of the proposed three-stage masterplan and replaced with sparkling new loos, Principal Peter Martin said.
Mr Martin said stage one of the plan would include a two-storey gymnasium complex with a competition standard basketball/netball court on the top level and classrooms underneath.
“We would hope (the court) would be in use from 8am to 10pm on weekdays and for most of the day on weekends,” he said.
“The masterplan is really important — it’s a vision for how we want the school to look and it includes a community sporting hub that will hopefully serve the people moving into the new developments in Fishermans Bend too.
“We’re thinking ahead for the whole community.”
Mr Martin said the first stage of the redevelopment would cost about $4 million but the total upgrade would be “much more”.
The school was given $10,000 by the State Government to draw up the plans, as well as a further $6000 for repairs to existing buildings.
Mr Martin said he was fairly confident the masterplan upgrade would be funded in next year’s May’s State Budget.
“I’m given to understand we have a very high likelihood of success with our budget bid,” he said.
“The redevelopment could be staged — obviously we’d love everything in one bite but we’re pragmatic.”
Other items on the masterplan included better pick-up and drop-off zone and better disability access, as well as the removal of more portable classrooms and relocating of the school’s administration building to create “more cohesion” between students and staff.
Albert Park State Labor MP Martin Foley said Port Melbourne Primary School would be included in the funding for an upgrade and the amount would be “considered in the budget process”.
Leader’s Grass Ceiling campaign is lobbying for better facilties and funding for girls and women in community sport. Follow the campaign here.
More: portmelbournenetball.com
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