South Warrnambool changerooms to get $450,000 upgrade after six decades

Councillors this week awarded the contract for the works at the Friendly Societies Park, which are expected to be completed before the start of next season

South Warrnambool Football Netball Club president Steve Harris said the club welcomed the funding for the internal refit.

"As a club we would love and will be continuing to push for a total redevelopment - because we're not changing the footprint it's still going to be inadequate for what we require," he said.

Mr Harris said the master plan for the site was being updated and what was envisaged would be "something in the vicinity" of what the Reid Oval had received.

Reid Oval underwent an $11 million makeover that was unveiled earlier this year with a new ground and pavillon.

"The ground would need to be re-levelled, the bike track needs to come out and the changerooms need redoing basically," Mr Harris said.

"We are far too big for the existing footprint that's there."

The club now has 23 teams including three female sides and all-abilities. Of the 540 participants, 255 are male and 228 female.

He said the benefit of the Friendlies was the current summer tenant was rugby and there was no cricket played on the ground.

"So there's no issues as far as having a cricket pitch in the middle for occupational health and safety and AFL standard football," he said.

Mr Harris said with so much female participation, the current open cubicles and open showers were completely inadequate.

He said the works were an internal refit to make them more female and all-abilities friendly.

"The rooms haven't really been altered since they were built in 1961," he said.

"Like a lot of local sporting changerooms, they've been outgrown for a long period of time.

"It's due, overdue."

Cr Richard Ziegeler said it was imperative the facilities were brought up to benchmark status.

"Some of the facilities are wanting, and it makes sense that we maintain them and bring them up to adequate standard," he said.

"It's imperative that such facilities become accessible to everybody.

"It beggars belief that they're not female friendly anyway given they're used for netballers as well as women footballers.

"We're just doing what we have to do."

Cr Ben Blain said moving towards female friendly facilities was something they were hoping to see across every single sports ground across the municipality.

"We want to see all sports having what they need in order to thrive in our community," he said.

Cr Blain said it was challenging finding contractors to do the works - something they expected to encounter in the next year for other projects.

When the contract was first advertised earlier this year there were no submissions.

Cr Vicki Jellie said she hoped the works could be completed by the start of the season.

South Warrnambool player Archie Stevens said he had grown up at the club.

"It's been like a second home, but the upgrade is much needed," he said.

"It's something that everyone is very grateful for. We're looking forward to being able to get the most out of what is a really great facility."

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