Yass Rugby Union Club player Kate Bismire on the Victoria Park ground which has no changeroom for female players. Photo: Karlie Hearne.
UPDATE 23 August, 9:00 am: At its last meeting before the 14 September NSW local government elections, Councillor Jasmin Jones raised an amended motion last night (22 August) to support the funding application. It was backed unanimously by councillors. Mr Sainsbury described it as a good result for local sport.
22 August, 3:00 pm: The Yass Valley Council (YVC) is scheduled to recommend against pursuing a grant, which it initiated, to fund urgently needed female amenities at the Yass Rams Rugby Union Club’s home ground, Victoria Park.
The YVC was successful in its expression of interest in the Play Our Way grant program, a $200 million Federal Government project designed to address barriers facing women, particularly in sport, and was invited to submit an application for stage two.
Club president Bronson Sainsbury said he was “very disappointed” to find out through a neighbour that at the YVC meeting on Thursday (22 August) it would be recommended that council not proceed with its application for stage two.
He said with the Yass club fielding women’s and men’s teams, the Rams and the Ewes, and a combined player membership of about 50, female changeroom facilities at the park were needed urgently – and were also part of the YVC masterplan for the site.
Mr Sainsbury said he understood the recommendation not to proceed with the grant application was because it required the YVC to pay a 20 per cent contribution towards the price of the amenities block, “$155k investment towards a $942,000 community asset that will increase participation in female sport and potentially attract more sporting events to our town”.
He said he was disappointed with “this short-sighted recommendation and with the complete lack of consultation from council on the matter.
“I was alerted to the recommendation this morning by a neighbour who had read the agenda for tonight’s (Thursday 22 August) meeting. Our club has been working hard over the past few years to build female rugby union and the facility is also used by our junior rugby club, the triathlon club (which is mainly women), and the local cricket association.”
The club contests the ACTRU South Coast Monaro competition, against teams from Boorowa, Taralga, Jindabyne, Crookwell, Braidwood, Bungendore, Batemans Bay and Gungahlin.
Mr Sainsbury said the YVC had told the club in the past that if it wanted grants, it would have to do the paperwork itself. “They are like a closed shop,” he said. “They are so short-sighted. They applied for the money yet now they’re going to knock it back.
“I’m not surprised about the lack of consultation, there’s no communication whatever.
“There used to be a sports sub-committee on the council which was great. All the local clubs came together once a quarter to talk about different issues – the tennis club, Little Athletics, Yass High School, but somewhere along the line it got knocked on the head.”
The Yass Rams have a proud sporting history in the district, dating back to 1878. Photo: Karlie Hearne.
He said the YVC had done some good work at Victoria Park – “they did a great job with the lighting upgrade, but then didn’t tell us it was happening so we couldn’t use the ground for two weeks.”
Mr Sainsbury, who has been club president for four years, said the Yass club had a proud history as one of the oldest rugby clubs in the country – it could be traced back to 1878 and always had a strong following.
“Knocking back this funding means we’ll have to wait for another chance to apply again, and, to be honest, if the council knocks it back the first time, why would they give us another chance?
“Why did the council apply in the first place if they weren’t interested? It’s good to have a master plan, but not if it is not carried through.”
The YVC meeting, where the Play Our Way grant is scheduled for the vote, starts at 4 pm today (22 August).
YVC was approached for comment but had not responded by the time this story was posted.
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