Moonee Valley netballers left with nowhere to play after courts closed due to asbestos removal work

MORE than 1300 netballers have been left out in the cold after their season was delayed until late April because of asbestos removal work at Aberfeldie Primary School.

Violet, Lucy, Amelie, and Isabella at the Aberfeldie Primary School courts that are out of action until late April. Picture: Ellen Smith

MORE than 1300 netballers have been left out in the cold after their season was delayed until late April because of asbestos removal work at Aberfeldie Primary School.

The Essendon District Netball Association has been forced to delay the start of its winter season by two weeks, due to the work which has seen the school’s courts temporarily shut down as the Victorian School Building Authority removes the deadly building material.

With no dedicated netball facility in Moonee Valley, the association shares the eight outdoor courts with the school, and change rooms with the Aberfeldie Community Bowls Club.

More than 1300 netballers are part of the eight-club association. A shortened 16-round season will now wrap up in late August.

Association president Richard Randell said the court closure demonstrated the need for better investment in female sporting facilities in the municipality.

“In short, all we’re seeking is formal commitment to netball facilities in Moonee Valley, the kind which other sports take for granted,” Mr Randell said.

“As the sole netball association in the City of Moonee Valley, our concerns for netball are not having sufficient facilities to meet growth. Our winter competition has grown by about 25 per cent over the past four years.”

The council last week opened a new sporting pavilion at Fairbairn Park that includes eight sporting ovals, cricket nets and ground lighting. However, it does not have netball courts.

Mr Randell said the time had come for a netball-specific facility.

“If you’re not dedicated to the biggest female sport, then you’re not dedicated to female sport,” he said.

Moonee Valley Mayor John Sipek acknowledged a lack of gender-neutral change facilities was one of the biggest barriers for women participating in sport and the council had upgraded the change rooms at 10 pavilions in recent years to address this.

He said the council was exploring design options to potentially provide additional courts at the Riverside Golf and Tennis Centre, based at Fairbairn Park.

“We are also eager to build a new indoor facility for netball and other sports in Moonee Valley in the future; however, this is still in the planning stages,” he said.