Eastern Suburbs Football Association side Pagewood Botany Football Club has secured a significant victory in its pursuit of improving facilities for its participants and the broader community.
The club has received $30,000 from the NSW Football Legacy Fund – Round 1, which will be used to upgrade the existing lighting facilities at Jellicoe Park.
This funding will go a long way in ensuring that the football club meets the Australian minimum lighting standards for sport, enhancing the overall experience for players and spectators alike.
Pagewood Botany FC have made a significant co-contribution of 50% towards this $60,000 project exemplifying their persistent investment in the club and its participants, ensuring sustained growth and development.
The project will see the supply and installation of new LED fixtures for field 2 at Jellicoe Park.
LED lights are highly energy-efficient compared to traditional metal halide lamps that are currently being used at Jellicoe Park. LEDs consume significantly less electricity while providing bright illumination, which will result in reduced energy costs for Pagewood Botany FC.
The lighting upgrade will enhance player safety and performance by providing ideal lighting conditions on the field. Improved visibility will reduce the risk of injuries and enable players to showcase their skills with greater confidence.
Importantly, the upgraded will extend the playing hours over a standard week substantially, accommodating for their 200+ female participants and allowing for more training sessions and matches to take place during evenings. This will significantly increase the club’s capacity to offer opportunities for player development and engagement.
Legacy Facilities and Grants Officer James Spanoudakis weighed in on the upgrades.
“Lighting is a project that not only allows clubs to have extended usage of their facilities, but it also means that they can train in a safe environment which is imperative to ensuring participants continue to play football.
“Improving venue capacity is a key component of the NSW Football Infrastructure Strategy. Lighting is a proven method of increasing participation capacity on football fields.
“The Legacy Fund provides the perfect opportunity for clubs to upgrade and embellish vital infrastructure that will allow clubs to grow.”
Round 2 of Legacy Fund is now open with the Infrastructure Stream closing on Friday 11 August and the Participation Stream closing Friday, 7 July 2023.
This is the final round of the Legacy Fund, don’t miss out!
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.
More information about the NSW Football Legacy Fund is available here.
