Mosman’s Legacy Makeover
Mosman Football Club have been given a huge boost towards their objective of all-inclusive facilities at Georges Heights Oval thanks to the NSW Football Legacy Fund.
Round 1 of the Legacy Fund saw $3.1 million invested in community football, with the aim to improve football facilities, support infrastructure, and increase participation opportunities, while improving female player pathways.
Mosman Municipal Council identified the requirement for the Oval’s pavilion to be refurbished, with the Legacy Fund granting a substantial $128,500 towards the $300,000 project.
The rejuvenation of the pavilion will include a complete changeroom transformation which entails installation of partitions for all showers and bathrooms, upgraded storage, sanitary fixtures, painting, and retiling of floors and walls. Additionally, there will be a renovation of the existing kiosk and spectator zone.
Mosman Football Club (MFC) are the primary occupants of the facilities and were overwhelmed with excitement after hearing about the successful grant application.
“Better facilities, better viewing station, better catering facilities and participants can actually have some privacy,” said MFC Club President Richard Pike.
Deputy Mayor Roy Bendall was pleased to see the happy local benefactors of the funding.
“Council loves Mosman Football Club,” he said.
“It is one of our biggest clubs and we are very keen on improving the assets, especially for the female players.
“It’s not only good for our girls, it’s good for the community.”
The improved facilities have made GHO more accessible and welcoming for all members of the community but mostly to Mosman Football Club’s substantial number of football participants. MFC have over 1,250 registered footballers under their administration. In the youth grades (13-18 years old) there is an above state average 33% female participant rate, further justifying the timely investment.
Mosman Football Club play within the Manly Warringah Football Association (MWFA) which last season (2022) also boasted an exceptional 35% female participation of their 19000+ members.
NSW Local Member for North Shore, Felicity Wilson, shared in the excitement around female football in the region.
“We love our football here in Mosman and across the North Shore, particularly our young girls and women.” she said.
“The thing we really need to do is (continue to) invest in our facilities and amenities.
“We are so excited for the (FIFA) Women’s World Cup. We are so lucky to be hosting, I know so many locals who are really excited to get to the games.”
The upgrades at GHO align with the NSW Football Infrastructure Strategy devised by Football NSW to strive for facilities that cater the vast number of participants playing the world game. The proposed works will take leaps and bounds towards the key strategic objective of ‘Inclusive Football Facilities’.
NSW Football Legacy Fund – Grants and Facilities Officer, James Spanoudakis, spoke of the importance of investment in inclusive facilities.
“The works on the pavilion go will go a long way to ensuring that the facilities are welcoming and cater for all,” he said.
“Inclusive football facilities are a major strategic objective that is crucial to providing a safe environment for our current and future female footballers.”
Find out more about the NSW Football Legacy Fund.
About the Legacy Fund Participation and Infrastructure Grants
The NSW Government recently announced a $3.1 million investment into more than 100 grassroots football projects across the state to help improve facilities and run programs to boost player participation as part of the NSW Football Legacy Fund.
The investment is intended to broaden female player options and increase participation opportunities, whilst enhancing football facilities and supporting infrastructure. This fund also aims to assist clubs in developing football programs at all levels through the construction or upgrading of community facilities, leadership, and development initiatives.
As Australia prepares to host the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023, strengthening the football community in NSW is key to matching the unprecedented level of interest in female football. The NSW Football Legacy Fund seeks to ensure it has the facilities and programming to match the buzz that the FIFA World Cup is generating for Australia’s next generation of future Matildas.
