The Victorian Women’s Football League will benefit from a $1.5 million upgrade of Victoria University Whitten Oval.
The Western Bulldogs Football Club announced the upgrade this week that will consolidate the iconic ground’s status as the home of community football in the Western Region of Melbourne.
The upgrade, delivered in partnership with the Victoria State Government ($500,000), Maribyrnong City Council ($500,000) and the AFL ($250,000) will bring the Oval’s match day facilities up to VFL standard including new change-rooms, coaches’ boxes and ground lighting improvements.
Importantly, the investment, which includes a $250,000 injection from the Club itself, will result in the establishment of two new gender accessible change rooms that will provide women’s football with access to a quality, professional venue across the female footy talent pathway.
The Western Bulldogs are hoping to maximise women’s access to VU Whitten Oval from 2015 by:
- Providing training facilities for the AFL Victoria VWFL Academy;
- The opportunity for some VWFL home and away and finals matches;
- The opportunity for VWFL representative matches and selection trial games;
- Supporting the WRFL Youth Girls (12 to 17) competition at a local level
The move builds on the successful establishment of the Western Bulldogs Women’s Team and first Victorian Club run All-Girls NAB Auskick Centre – both of which will be hosted at the ground in 2015.
Community football at the Western Region Football League (WRFL) and junior football levels in the West will also be beneficiaries of the new facilities as will the Western Bulldogs community arm, Spirit West Services - across the Club’s comprehensive multicultural, disability, youth and health platforms.
The new upgrade builds on the recent transformation of the ground into a community hub that sees more than 100,000 people visit the precinct annually to access a diverse range of amenities including a 105-place child care centre, community sports stadium and the local eatery – Barkers Café.
Last Modified on 17/09/2014 14:49