Russell Square Recreation Reserve is set to light up thanks to $450,000 in funding from the Andrews Labor Government.
Minister for Sport John Eren and Member for Wendouree Sharon Knight announced new lighting will be installed on the northern pitch at Russell Square thanks to the Labor Government’s Female Friendly Facilities Fund.
The popular reserve is home to the growing ranks of the Ballarat North United Soccer Club, Ballarat Ultimate Frisbee, Ballarat Touch Association and East Point Junior Football Netball Club.
Sporting clubs like these ones are the lifeblood of local communities and they deserve modern, accessible and safe facilities.
The current lighting at Russell Square Recreation Reserve is insufficient which has meant shorter training times, overuse of certain sections of the pitch and less opportunities for teams to use the whole ground.
Once complete, the new lighting will allow the clubs to use more of the pitch, stay on after dark and even host night matches.
Across Victoria the Labor Government has invested more than $420 million in community sport and recreation facilities, and earlier this year provided almost half a billion dollars in the Victorian Budget 2018/19 to support sport and active recreation at all levels.
Mr Eren and Ms Knight acknowledged Ballarat City Council for its commitment and financial contribution to the project.
As noted by Minister for Sport John Eren
"This boost will go a long way to supporting the growing number of people in Brown Hill keen to get involved in local sport and recreation, both day and night."
"We want Victorians to have access to high quality facilities no matter whether they live or what gender they are."
As stated by Member for Wendouree Sharon Knight
"These new flexible lights on the north pitch at Russell Square will provide more opportunities for Brown Hill locals to get active and play the sport they love."
As stated by Head of the Office for Women in Sport and Recreation Dr Bridie O’Donnell
"We want to support women and girls so their experiences are the same as boys and men, and the provision of female friendly facilities is a big step in the right direction."
