By Colin MacGillivray
THE biggest upgrade to Wallan’s RB Robson Stadium in several years is underway, with an $850,000 facelift set to improve facilities for all user groups.
State Minister for Community Sport and Member for Kalkallo Ros Spence and Member for Yan Yean Lauren Kathage joined Mitchell Shire councillors, stadium officials and user groups last week to inspect the works.
Councillors voted unanimously last month to award a contract for the construction of unisex changerooms at the stadium, while the main basketball court has been resurfaced and new backboards are being installed.
Council contributed $360,000 for the project, with the State Government providing $480,000 through Sport and Recreation Victoria’s Local Community Sport and Recreation Projects Fund. The RB Robson Stadium committee of management and Wallan Basketball each contributed $5000.
The stadium houses Wallan Basketball, Birralee Gymnastics, Wallan and District Netball Association and Wallan Playgroup, and has seen burgeoning demand in recent years.
RB Robson Stadium committee of management president Jodie Cloke said the facility was at maximum capacity.
“With the growth in the area, enquiries have been through the roof. We can’t offer things like casual shooting at the moment – we’re turning people away for that,” she said.
“[The new changerooms have been] a long time coming. It was a lot of money we needed to make sure was spent in the right places.”
Wallan Basketball president Tracy Connors said the new changerooms would help accommodate the association’s representative teams on game days.
“Currently the stadium has two very old changerooms, one male and one female,” she said.
“Our Big V program regularly has double and triple header games, which require at least four changerooms.
“We currently utilise a small meeting room and the playgroup room as the alternate changerooms.
“Neither room has a bathroom or shower. The playgroup room has fire doors, which means that they cannot be covered and therefore our women’s teams are getting changed without the privacy they should be afforded. We place temporary screens up, but that is not appropriate for state-level competition.”
Ms Connors said the upgrade works would see the playgroup room converted into two changerooms and a referee rooms.
“Once those works are completed then the council and stadium management will arrange for the existing toilets and changerooms to be upgraded as well, which will then give all users more contemporary experience to the current one,” she said.
Ms Connors said increased junior participation rates had made the upgrades, as well as plans for a future new stadium in Wallan’s Greenhill Recreation Precinct, a necessity.
“Junior domestic basketball has increased by more than 15 per cent this winter season from last winter, and we saw the same growth in the previous summer season,” she said.
“As basketball continues to surge in popularity, along with the ongoing population growth, the number of basketball participants will continue to grow rapidly.
“It is these sorts of investments that are required to ensure that basketball, along with other court-based sports, have the necessary facilities as we all continue to grow, particularly in the southern end of Mitchell Shire.”
Ms Spence said the works would help accommodate more junior athletes.
“It’s great to have the appropriate facilities for people in Wallan to play basketball, where we know they want to play,” she said.
Mitchell Shire Mayor Fiona Stevens said the project was important to support Wallan’s growth until the Greenhill Recreation Precinct eventuated.
“More and more people are expected to call our shire home and we need to have the facilities to support them,” she said.
