An eastern suburbs community soccer club desperately seeking financial aid has secured the support of the City of Bayswater council to help bankroll a redevelopment of its ageing clubhouse facilities.
The Bayswater council unanimously voted in support of a motion which would allocate $330,000 towards initiating the next stage of development planning to upgrade the Bayswater City Soccer Club’s changerooms.
An initial $130,000 would be used to support a feasibility study while $200,000 would be allocated to the 2024-25 budget.
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READ NOWThe soccer club will still need “future financial contributions” from the State or Federal Government.
“City officers are in regular contact with the Bayswater City Soccer Club regarding improved and additional facility provision to satisfy the needs of the growing club,” a town staff report reads.
“The city is currently developing a Forward Capital Works Program to guide asset renewals and potential upgrades over the next years.
“Facilities such as Frank Drago Reserve are included in the draft program being developed.
“Based on the previous concepts, it is unlikely that the project will be a like-for-like replacement; it would involve demolishing the old clubhouse and constructing an entirely new clubhouse building, reoriented closer to Whatley Crescent, to allow space for the inclusion of an additional pitch.”
Bayswater City Soccer Club representative Greg D’Ozario spoke at an agenda briefing forum on February 20 and said “it was time” for the facilities to be redeveloped.
“The club is desperate for ground space facilities, we have grown to 800 members playing this year alone, with multiple women’s teams and girls teams in almost every age group,” Mr D’Ozario said.
“A lot of credit has to be given to the club for the way it has conducted business in recent years.
“The club has also maintained the facilities very well, but given the ageing building, the asbestos that is in it, the lack of female facilities, the lack of disability access ... it’s time money was invested in the Frank Drago Reserve to pay the minimum requirements for the club to facilitate all community members that want to participate in the game.”
Mr D’Ozario also noted the club had “full support” from Maylands MLA Lisa Baker.
In 2019 the Bayswater council gave “in principle support” for a concept design of proposed Frank Drago Reserve upgrades, despite the city having no available funding for the project.
Since then, “minor upgrades” have been made to the club’s changeroom and toilets.
Mayor Filomena Piffaretti spoke at last Tuesday’s council meeting and called on the State and Federal Government to support the soccer club.
“This is the first step for the club, so whilst we’re all excited about what this means, I would just call upon our state and federal MP’s (and) candidates to please meet with our club,” she said.
“This is a huge, huge beneficial project which will reshape Bayswater and we can’t do it by ourselves.
“If we support this tonight, we’re showing that the city is taking the first steps to provide our support to the club that we are fully behind this project and we need the support from both federal and state governments.”