Planning Minister and Member for Richmond, Richard Wynne MP, stunned the Fitzroy faithful on Friday night when he announced that if re-elected, the Andrews Labor Government would deliver $6.5 million towards a major upgrade of Brunswick Street Oval.

Together with Mr Wynne, City of Yarra Major Daniel Nguyen and Chair of the Clifton Hill/North Fitzroy Community Bank Branch Jenny Farrer had already announced a commitment of $50,000 each $150,000 in total towards the planning, scoping work and design of proposed community facilities to benefit the sporting clubs of the Edinburgh Gardens Sporting Community* and the wider Fitzroy community.

At Fitzroy FCs Redlow celebrations, presidents of the Fitzroy Junior Football Club, the Fitzroy Tennis Club and Edinburgh Cricket Club were all on hand to hear the news of the larger commitment, which would enable them to fully realise a more permanent home and keep pace with the growth in demand and changing demographics, by delivering the new facilities.

Mr Wynne said the upgraded Brunswick Street Oval would be utilised by local sporting clubs, with local schools and community groups also set to benefit.

Right now the clubs facilities, which service mens and womens footy, tennis and cricket teams, are failing to keep pace despite record levels of female participation.

The promised funding will upgrade the changerooms and community rooms, making them fit for purpose for the growing number of women and girlsteams at Fitzroy Football Club./p>

The news was enthusiastically received by over 215 people, the largest Redlow in the clubs modern history. As the Member for Richmond said, This upgrade will mean the next generation of Fitzroys female sporting stars have the facilities they deserve.

Whether its watching the might Roys or a kick-to-kick with the kids, I know how much this investment will mean to local families./p>

Earlier in the week, there was a commitment of a $150,000 of state government funds allocated to a Pick My Project bid for upgraded lighting at Brunswick Street Oval and Ramsden Street Oval to allow better training and playing facilities for Fitzroy female footballers, along with a new electronic scoreboard at Brunswick Street Oval.

*The Edinburgh Gardens Sporting Community, or EGSC for short, is a coalition of the Fitzroy Football Club, the Fitzroy Junior Football Club, Fitzroy Tennis Club and Edinburgh Cricket Club. As we know, our clubs are crucial contributors to the sports-loving communities who live near, play on and love the Brunswick Street Oval.

A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed by all club presidents committing EGSC to work together to complement each clubs work to fully develop their potential to foster and grow community participation, to resolve issues of common interest regarding the delivery of community sports at the Edinburgh Gardens precinct, and to develop a vision for fit-for purposefacilities that will be a leading example of community sport in Victoria.

It may still take a while yet but were on our way at last to realising our dream of having clubrooms of our own where we can meet without having to set up and set to rights each time we want to use the rooms, where we can display our memorabilia, and where we can share with our neighbouring clubs to the benefit of the entire sporting community in and around Edinburgh Gardens.