NEW lighting will be installed for the Aspendale Stingrays Jack Grut Reserve after being granted a joint $190,000 from the state government and Kingston Council.
This new funding has become available after the Labor state government doubled The World Game Facilities Fund (TWGFF) from $2.5 million to $5 million.
“This lighting will provide us an additional 15 hours per week of training and will double our current access to flood-lit grounds,” Aspendale Stingrays committee president Derrick Berends said.
“Aspendale Soccer Club was formed only 12 years ago by a dedicated group of parents looking for an opportunity for their young children to play soccer in the local area. In that short time, the club has grown to over 450 members across 40 teams, which is an amazing effort.”
The funding couldn’t have come soon enough as the clubs rapid growth has seen many new potential members being turned away, simply for the fact that they did not have the facilities to keep up and cater for a greater number of people.
This predicament has been very disappointing for the club.
“The growth in members includes the growing number of girls playing soccer and although we have had to restrict growth at the club in recent years we have always actively encouraged new female player to join,” Mr Berends said.
Victorian Sports Minister John Eren visited the Stingrays on Monday (30 July) to announce funding of more than $95,000 for the soccer club.
“The new lighting is just one of the many ways we’re making sure popular clubs like Aspendale Stingrays Soccer Club have room to grow,” Mordialloc Labor MP Tim Richardson said.
Kingston Council agreed to match the state grant bringing the total funding up to $190,000.
Mr Berends thanked everyone for the support.
“These new lights are the next step in the process of providing a great facility for our local kids to keep active. We hope to be able to provide even better news on our clubs future facilities in the near future.”
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 1 August 2018