STATE Government has announced $150,000 of funding for badly needed change room facilities at North Geelong Warriors SC’s Elcho Park complex at Lara.
Member for Lara and the Victorian Sport Minister John Eren announced the funding at the club’s pre-match luncheon on Saturday prior to the Warriors’ final NPL Victoria home game of the season.
“Change rooms are the most important infrastructure at any sporting club,” Mr Eren told the luncheon.
“This is a significant milestone for football in the region and, in conjunction with the City of Greater Geelong’s $133,000 announced earlier in the year, this brings the total support for this vital project to $283,000.”
Mr Eren reserved particular praise for local councillors Tony Ansett and Eddy Kontelj, who worked tirelessly with the Warriors to lobby the Government for the much-needed infrastructure improvements at the region’s highest-ranked soccer club.
Club president Andro Jurkovic said the overall cost of the facilities would be around $450,000 to $500,000.
“The club will foot the cost for the balance of the project, with construction of the change room facilities expected to commence later this year and finish toward the middle of next year.
“We thank our local councillors, Eddy Kontelj and Tony Ansett, for their time and support as well as the Minister for Sport, John Eren, for backing us to deliver facilities that will give not only our own players, both male and female, but the referees and opposition players the change rooms they deserve to participate at the highest levels of our beautiful game.”
The funding announcement was part of a triple treat for Jurkovic, who celebrated his birthday on Saturday as his third-last team defeated bottom side Dandenong Thunder to earn a final round showdown with second-last Werribee City on Sunday.
The Warriors will avoid relegation with a win or draw against the Bees, instead condemning Dandenong and Werribee to the lower NPL1 division next season.
To put the icing on the birthday cake, Jurkovic’s teenage son, Nikola, scored the first of the Warriors’ three goals on Saturday.
