In the heart of Bulli, a junior football club with over 600 active members has been diligently working towards enhancing its infrastructure to better serve the community.
Bulli Junior Football Club from the Football South Coast region has been granted $119,900 towards new lighting, a new BBQ area and much needed storage at Bulli Park. This initiative provides an excellent opportunity to optimise and enhance the existing space, and additionally add modern lighting to expand the capacity of Bulli Park. This expansion aims to cater to the expected growth and the already substantial participant base.
Bulli Junior Football Club has dedicated significant time and resources to enhance their participation, particularly in female participation, achieving an impressive 12% overall growth since 2020. BJFC takes pride in providing an entry point to football for ages 5-12. This is evident through remarkable growth, with a 32% surge in female youth participation since 2020. In total, female participants make up 40% of BJFC.
When asked why Bulli Football Club applied for the NSW Football Legacy Grant, club president Francis Hinds shared, “Our junior football club is in dire need of infrastructure upgrades. With two playing surfaces, and only one equipped with lighting and growing club we simply need more space for evening training and night competition. Having raised half the funds for our project, the Legacy Fund will play a pivotal role in benefiting our current and future club members.”
The first phase of Bulli Junior FC’s infrastructure development project focuses on field lighting. The grant will primarily fund the installation of four light poles and 10 high-quality, cost-Effective LED lights, enhancing training capabilities and opening up possibilities for evening football matches. The lighting upgrades will significantly increase training capacity during the week, addressing the issue of restricted access due to the current single-source lighting. Additionally, a much-needed storage room and BBQ area will be added to the club, contributing to the overall improvement of facilities.
The decision to allocate funds to lighting, storage, and a BBQ area is a necessity. The addition of a storage room and BBQ area not only enhances functionality but also ensures that change rooms become available for all members. Currently the club is unable to use the change rooms as they are used for club storage.
The new BBQ area will enhance the experience for players, spectators, and volunteers. We all know the BBQ and canteen is a critical component of any club as it’s one of the primary sources of income for all community clubs. A new BBQ area will invigorate a tired space into an inviting space for all who attend Bulli Park.
The ripple effect of these targeted upgrades is substantial. The increased training capacity will not only benefit the players but also enable the club to explore the exciting prospect of evening football matches. The provision of storage and BBQ facilities addresses a longstanding need, making change rooms accessible to all members. For a club that thrives on community spirit, these enhancements contribute to a more inclusive and welcoming environment.
Hinds continued by extending gratitude to the Legacy Grant Program. “On behalf of Bulli Junior Football Club, I would like to express our sincere thanks to the NSW State Government and Football NSW. These programs are essential for volunteer organisations like ours, enabling us to improve community facilities and make a lasting impact.”
NSW Football Legacy Fund, Facilities and Grants Officer, James Spanoudakis commented on the funding to Bulli Park “ Bulli Junior FC has a significant number of active members, and this substantial project is set to not only serve the existing dedicated participants but also attract prospective members to sign up for football and benefit from the offerings of the club.”
NSW Football Legacy Program
The NSW Football Legacy Program is a $10 million investment from the NSW Government. The program seeks to support female football through new community facilities, participation initiatives, development programs as well as tourism and international engagement.
More information about Football Legacy Program can be found here – https://footballnsw.com.au/nsw-football-legacy-programs/ to find out more about NSW Government Legacy Programs.
