We thought it timely to provide an update on progress with our Pick My Project activities, with more news to follow in the coming months.
When Fitzroy was successful in securing state government funding as part of Pick My Projectlate in 2018 that was just the start of some positive changes for the club over the coming years.
But like all good things, they dont happen overnight.
The funding will see upgraded lighting and a new electronic scoreboard at Brunswick Street Oval, along with the construction of new light poles at Ramsden Street, where the Fitzroys womens teams, Under 19s and Thirds train and play many of their home games.
Fitzroy Football Club is working closely with the City of Yarra to upgrade the lighting at Brunswick Street Oval (BSO) to expand the number of games Fitzroy teams can play there.
Better lighting will enable twilight games and triple headers at BSO which will lead to more womens football being played at Fitzroys main ground and traditional home.
Since the funding was announced, the Club has been working over the season break to put things in place to make these upgrades possible, including meeting and liaising regularly with the State Government funding body, officers at the City of Yarra, the President and Committee members of the Edinburgh Cricket Club, potential scoreboard suppliers, and consulting with other Clubs with similar equipment.
A lot of work still needs to be done, not to mention consultation with our local communities.
That said, we are confident that work on upgraded lighting at Brunswick Street will be able to commence in the coming months and the new scoreboard at BSO will follow (once the preferred supplier has been identified and appointed).
The construction of new light poles at Ramsden Street Oval is also in the planning phase as part of this funding, with work also due to start this year, in readiness by next season at the latest. This will enable better, safer training facilities.
In the meantime, the first Fitzroy-ACU womens game for 2019 and the first Fitzroy FC game-day lunch for the season, will kick start the season on Saturday 6 April at BSO.
Fitzroy President, Joan Eddy, said significant effort went into securing the Pick my Projectfunding from the state government late last year to allow greater access to BSO. Well continue to work hard with the City of Yarra to make this happen. I cant wait to see triple-headers played at Brunswick Street Oval in front of a large Fitzroy crowd.
Were very excited to also be working with a range of Edinburgh Gardens Sporting precinct partners to be planning the new community facilities at Brunswick Street. These are fantastic long-term projects, which will continue to maintain BSO and Edinburgh Gardens as a wonderful inner-city sporting and community facility.
Its challenging for amateur sporting clubs, run by volunteers, to make such huge strides, but with the hard work of our Directors and partners and the support of the State government, City of Yarra and funding partners such as the Community Bank, well achieve these changes for the benefit of the local community./p>
In the meantime, as well as the season opener at Brunswick Street Oval, our womens teams are playing two of their home games this season on Victoria Park, a ground which is at AFLW standard and also attracts a strong Fitzroy crowd when we play there.
