Engadine Crusaders turned the soil on their long anticipated project to improve facilities at the club’s home at Preston Park on Saturday.
The club, who raised $100,000 for the project themselves, were helped with a $27,500 Community Building Partnership grant from the NSW Government.
The work will include new change rooms and a storeroom.
Past and current club presidents Jim Hankins and Mitchell Pratt were joined by Sutherland Shire Mayor Carmelo Pesce, Member for Heathcote Lee Evans and Sutherland Shire Football Association president Wayne Schweickle at the soil turning.
As well as the change room and storeroom work, Sutherland Shire Council will update the public toilets with the additions of an accessible toilet as well as an ambulant one.
Pratt said the works had been a long time coming and would be welcome additions.
“We’ve been working with the State Government and the Council for a number of years to get to this point, so it is great to see it all coming together in time for our 50th anniversary in 2017,” he said.
The council granted the club a 21-year lease over the clubhouse at Preston Park and has been working with the club to progress its plans for new facilities.
“I want to thank Lee Evans for his support with the grant and Carmelo Pesce for his assistance and support of the lease agreement, so that we could deliver this great result for our club and the local community,” Pratt said.
“We’re one of the smaller clubs in the shire but it’s a fantastic family atmosphere and we love our football. We hope that these new facilities help us grow the club and membership.”
The significant growth in female football participation has been a driving force for new change rooms so that both male and female teams and spectators have appropriate and accessible facilities for match days and training.
The Sutherland Shire football season came to a close with its grand final days last weekend. Engadine hosted eight deciders at Preston Park.