Pavilion progress: Luke Henderson and Stephen Quon, at far left and right, inspect plans for the Cheong Park upgrade with Maroondah mayor Nora Lamont, Deakin MP Mike Symon and Maroondah Council's Lex Ritchie.
TWO of Maroondah's premier sports clubs have welcomed funding for a $250,000 pavilion upgrade that will allow them to generate more income and better cater for people with disabilities.
The South Croydon football and cricket clubs' pavilion at homeground Cheong Park will be refurbished for the first time in almost 40 years. Plans include an extended social room and upgraded toilets and disabled access.
SCCC is the largest junior cricket club in Maroondah, and the SCFC competes in the first division of Australia's largest suburban football league, the EFL.
SCCC president Luke Henderson said the upgrade was much needed. "I think the biggest thing is that we can hold our functions in house," he said. "Earlier, we had to take our functions elsewhere. It just means any profit we make out of those functions we can put straight back into the club."
Henderson described the current clubrooms as a "squeeze" and "never really inviting" for women. "I think the mums, sisters, wives and girlfriends will feel more comfortable coming to these new rooms."
Football club president Steven Quon echoed Henderson's thoughts. "It'll be a new, fresh modern facility with things such as disabled toilets, which is very important for our members who have a disability," he said.
"I think it's really important that we modernise the building. People will walk in here with a sense of ownership of the place and really appreciate their environment."
The $250,000 of federal government funding included a Maroondah Council contribution of $90,000.
Works will start next month and are expected to be complete by the end of March next year.