Federal member for Gippsland, Darren Chester, was busy last Wednesday in Bairnsdale, meeting with local sporting groups, Bairnsdale Netball Association (BNA) and East Gippsland Gymnastics, in an attempt to secure funding.

Mr Chester met with BNA at the Bairnsdale Netball World Centre with the association needing help to secure $1.6 million to finish off stage one of the centre’s $2.1 redevelopment.

Stage one consists of replacing the six-court design to an eight-court design, which has to comply to Netball Victoria’s standards, including off-court support infrastructure such as player shelters, match control box and store, flood lighting, fencing, goal posts and line marking.

There would also be an improvement in car packing spaces.

BNA has 739 female participants and the current structure of the facilities is unable to accommodate everyone.

“The Bairnsdale Netball Association provides netball facilities for the good of the overall community,” Bairnsdale Netball Association member, Ian Pearson, said.

“Netball is a growth sport and we have insufficient facilities to meet the demand of the players that want to play.

“We will be able to bring high level tournaments to Bairnsdale with more teams from other areas bringing more people to East Gippsland and into the Bairnsdale area if we have more courts and better facilities.

“At the moment we are prevented from doing so because the courts don’t comply with the standards that are necessary.

“It’s part of a bigger picture to try and broaden the scope of netball and to try and bring more people into the sport and to facilitate the people who are already involved in the sport.”

Mr Chester said he is fully behind the project.

“It’s an exciting project and it’s something I really want to support because this facility is getting a bit tired and doesn’t meet modern standards,” he said.

“The netball competition here is one of the biggest in the whole Gippsland region and it’s very popular through the week but also in terms of major events for the town.

“It’s important I think that all levels of government work together and get the funding as quickly as we can.”

Mr Chester also visited East Gippsland Gymnastics in attempts to secure funding for the club’s new building.

“East Gippsland Shire Council has made it clear to me that the gymnastics centre is a priority project for council and we’ve seen a lot of growth in the sport,” Mr Chester said.

“It’s important that we provide the type of facilities that encourages young East Gippslanders to achieve their absolute best and I think by upgrading those facilities it will be much welcomed by the participants more so than the coaches and their parents.

“Recently we secured funding for the Lucknow Football Netball Club and now to improve that precinct even further would be a great result.”

East Gippsland Gymnastics head coach, Marie Miles, said that the club needs help to finish stage one of the building process.

“We are looking for funding to help build a new facility,” Marie said.

“We’ve already got $550,000 from the East Gippsland Shire but we need another $650,000 to be able to build stage one of the new facility.

“The new facility will go alongside the Bairnsdale Squash and Table Tennis Centre and we’ve got plans drawn up and it’s pretty much pegged out, we are shovel ready but we’re just a bit short on money.

“At the moment we’ve got 350 children that train every week from Monday to Thursday predominately.

“The current facility is a great big shed and there are a lot of limitations as far as a gymnastics facility goes.”

PICTURED:  Bairnsdale Netball Association members, Ian Pearson. Bruce Strong, Robyn Dunkley, Jodie Stevenson and Narelle Gibbons caught up with Federal member for Gippsland, Darren Chester, at the Bairnsdale Netball World Centre last Wednesday to discuss funding to redesign the courts and parking.