STFA releases proposal for Cookbundoon infrastructure upgrades

The association has long recognised the need to improve amenities at Cookbundoon, and the proposal begins by outlining the stark statistics which support this claim.

There are 1262 registered players in the STFA, of which 350 are females, and from 2014 to 2017, its participation rate grew by 20 per cent.

However, these players must compete in conditions where, according to statistics from the STFA, "71% of pitches don't have lighting", "33% of amenities have no change rooms and 67% are below standard", "33% of amenities do not have match official provision", "100% do not cater for females", and "29% of fields are below playing standard".

This, combined with the sport's rapid growth in Goulburn, "is putting pressure on existing facilities, many of which are not at a standard where football can be enjoyed to its full potential," the proposal states.

"Problems with existing fields range from poor drainage, uneven surfaces, lack of grass cover, lack of toilets and change room facilities, lack of storage and canteens, lack of club facilities, and lack of lighting.

"Compounding this is Cookbundoon Sporting Complex is used for training, often by hundreds of people during the course of a week."

The need for action is becoming more urgent by the day, according to STFA president Craig Norris.

"Nothing's been done out there [at Cookbundoon] since the 80s," Norris said.

"There's no facilities out there for women, full stop. It's a shared facility which can't cope, the changerooms in general can't cope.

"There's nowhere to train, there's either insufficient space or insufficient light."

As part of the proposal, the STFA put together cost projections which estimate that the issues which need addressing, including returfing fields, proper lighting, parking, fencing and security lighting, new changerooms and toilets, shelter, and a grandstand, will cost roughly $1,415,920.

The association's funding estimate stands at around $490,000, but Norris said that they were seeking funding through all possible avenues and acknowledged that it will be a long-term project.

"We're talking to both state and federal governments, we're talking to governments, and we're doing our own grassroots fundraising as well," he said.

"Rome wasn't built in a day. We'd love it all in one hit, but realistically it's step by step."

The STFA has launched its own fundraising campaign, called FunD Football, and has teamed up with the Australian Sport Foundation, to which people can donate.

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