Footy club ‘snags’ new $3.1 million home
Published 21 August 2023
Fresh off the huge success of the Matildas, City of Moreton Bay has opened another new sporting facility that will improve participation for women in sport.
The Pine Rivers Swans Australian Football Club has scored a new $3.1 million clubhouse and changerooms with new universal facilities thanks to joint funding from Council, the State Government and AFL Queensland.
“The new Aussie Rules clubhouse and changerooms at Rob Akers Reserve brings a 50-year-old club into the 21st century by providing it with all the bells and whistles residents expect today and it allows the club to attract new players to the sport they love,” he said.
“We want to be able to give everyone a go, no matter what your ability or background, and we’re doing that by providing the best possible community sports facilities for our residents to enjoy.
“That means accommodating for the explosion of women’s participation in all sports codes, which is why we’re upgrading and building new facilities with universal changerooms right across the region.
“While politicians around the country are jumping on the bandwagon of the Matildas, City of Moreton Bay has been delivering vital infrastructure to support women’s sport for years.
“We’ve upgraded or built nine new facilities over the past 18 months alone to include unisex changerooms designed for women and girls to participate and follow their dreams.
“Plus women in sport is a key pillar in our Community Wellbeing strategy, ensuring we can attract and support females to the diverse sporting codes that thrive across the region.
“These projects are just another win in our push to ensure community sports facilities are keeping pace with the massive growth we’re experiencing and bridging the gap in sports infrastructure.”
Pine Rivers MP Nikki Boyd said the State Government had added a total of $1.15 million of funding for Stage 1 and 2 of construction.
“The State Government injected millions of dollars’ worth of funding for local projects during COVID to help keep work flowing for Queenslanders during tough times,” she said.
“This project not only achieves that goal, but it delivers a vital piece of recreational infrastructure for the people of the Pine Rivers area to enjoy for years to come.
“Thank you to City of Moreton Bay for delivering this project so more locals can participate in the sport they love and thanks to AFL Queensland for their ongoing work around the State as part of the 2020 AFL Grand Final legacy.”
Head of AFL Queensland Trisha Squires said the AFL was proud to contribute $50,000 through the AFLQ Grand Final Facilities Fund in partnership with the Queensland Government.
“When we look back on the legacy of the 2020 AFL Grand Final, we will see the new inclusive facilities that are being built across Queensland to keep up with the growing demand of participants at a local level,” she said.
“Queensland has seen a record number of registered community club football participants in 2023 and City of Moreton Bay has long been a key part of that growth through its support and investment.
“Council’s $18.8 million Nathan Road Sports Complex was awarded the winner of the AFL’s prestigious National Project of the Year award in 2020, and Council has supported the Brisbane Lions by hosting AFLW matches at the South Pine Sports Complex and Moreton Bay Central Sports Complex.
“This new facility will be a huge boost for the Pine Rivers Swans and add to that lasting legacy for the community.”
Councillor Mick Gillam (Div 8) said he was thrilled to see this project come to fruition.
“The Pine Rivers Swans first reached out to me a few years ago after the club flooded in 2011,” he said.
“After the second flooding in 2022 we brought the project forward rather than fix the old clubhouse just to rebuild it a few years later.
“Everyone was so excited for the opening that Council organised a celebratory banner before their women’s match on Saturday to mark the monumental occasion in the Swans’ history.
“Moreton Bay may have become a city but projects like this show that we’re all about the grassroots community and making sure locals can lead happy and healthy lifestyles.”