THE home of The Pointers secured $800,000 of State Government money in the latest grants round of the Local Sports Infrastructure Fund.
What it means is that the user groups at the reserve will see a new modular sporting pavilion installed before their very eyes.
It’s more than just a roof over their head.
It will provide female-friendly changerooms, umpire changerooms, office storage, publicly accessible amenities, as well as a social space for the community.
The project also includes a realignment of on-site carparking and adjustments to both the oval’s lighting and the nearby playground.
Make no mistake, this is money well spent.
It will look after Nichols Point’s cricket club and soccer club, the neighbouring primary school, as well as visiting teams from Sunraysia Rugby League, Football Federation Sunraysia and Sunraysia Cricket Association.
More importantly this funding is a critical component in the developing social fabric of Nichols Point.
Sporting facilities have always been hugely important when it comes to creating a sense of belonging and community.
Playing “at home” instils a sense of pride in people, and now the home of several clubs will soon be far better equipped to look after its players.
The reserve is already used on a near-daily basis, and its current infrastructure has long needed an overhaul.
What this new modular sporting pavilion represents is a new chapter for Nichols Point’s sporting journey.
Soon we will see a place that will appropriately accommodate everyone who picks up a bat and ball or pulls on a jersey week on week, year on year.
A place that will be a credit to the hard work of grassroots sporting volunteers who first raised the idea about five years ago, and the staff at Mildura Rural City Council who guided them to this outcome.
