- A new $4.125 million clubhouse has opened at Ashgrove Sports Ground
- The clubhouse is shared by GPS Rugby Club and Valleys District Cricket Club
- Delivers on a Palaszczuk Government election commitment in Cooper
A new clubhouse has opened at Ashgrove Sports Ground featuring a gym and strength and conditioning centre, refurbished community hall, and new, separate female and referee changerooms.
The $4.125 million clubhouse is shared by GPS Rugby Club and Valleys District Cricket Club who have a combined 3,000 players, including 2,200 juniors and scores of volunteers.
Construction created 10 full-time jobs.
The opening of the Ashgrove Sports Ground clubhouse delivers on a $2.4 million Palaszczuk Government election commitment for Cooper.
GPS Rugby contributed $1.1 million to the project with $125,000 from Valleys District Cricket Club and $500,000 from Brisbane City Council.
Valleys has also upgraded the ground's cricket nets with a separate $100,000 investment by the Palaszczuk Government.
Member for Cooper Jonty Bush said:
"It's really important that we not only have our own space from a convenience perspective, but it's also recognition that women are athletes, and we contribute strongly to the sporting landscape of Australia.
This is also about providing a place for the whole region to gather and share our common bonds as a local community through our sport, events, or just green space where we can exercise or walk the dog.
The new clubhouse gives both clubs the home base they need to attract new players and keep current players in the game for longer."
Sport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said:
"This Palaszczuk Government election commitment is a win for sport and a win for the community.
"GPS Rugby and Valleys have shared Ashgrove Sports Ground for more than four decades.
"And a terrific example of the shared sport infrastructure we want to build that's used by clubs throughout the year, not just the season.
"More girls and women playing sport is one of legacies we want to achieve from the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
"When Queensland girls have their own changerooms we know they're more likely to get on a team, stick with it and shine"
GPS Rugby Club President Michael Taylor said:
"This development puts GPS ahead of the pack in terms of how we can develop the game by offering a facility that caters for all levels, including our women's game which is going from strength to strength," said Mr Taylor.
"Having proper change rooms, toilets and training facilities for women has been hampered in the past by limited space and ageing clubrooms, but now we have delivered a facility that ensures our women's game can be properly supported and developed at GPS.
"And this is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what we can now offer with this long-overdue project which I have been privileged to be a part of."
