The Bardon Latrobe Football Club (BLFC) are publishing our plans for variances to our initial post ‘Brand new changing room heralds new era‘.
The building, which will be an annexe to the existing clubhouse, will now provide four modern bright
changing rooms with bathroom and shower facilities.
The club have also submitted plans for a large shed to help store our equipment and reduce incidents of vandalism over recent years and an upgraded kitchen to bring it up to standard.
The club have also acknowledged some community concern around our plans.
The current facilities at Bowman Park are not commensurate with a facility providing female and junior sport within Brisbane. Our facilities do not comply with the required minimal standards set out by Brisbane City Council and the local, regional, and national sporting governing bodies. There is only one run-down change room used by the club’s 500 players, which is accessible through the male toilets. There are no separate junior and senior change rooms, or female specific change rooms. Teams are forced to change in the toilets or in the common areas which affords no privacy or security. The current canteen is in poor condition and does not have adequate equipment to provide healthy food options to the players, families and passers-by which often visit during playing times. Furthermore, the Club’s equipment (e.g: goals and nets) currently needs to be stored out in the open which not only reduces the usable life of the equipment, but also poses a safety concern for visitors while BLFC members are not present.
BLFC has consulted with stakeholders over several years to ensure all user needs are accommodated. These groups include BLFC members, WBCC members, the local schools, local and state governments, and the Brisbane and Queensland Football associations. In addition, an open survey on the BLFC website was performed last year to assess the club’s facilities and services. All user groups have supported infrastructure upgrades to Bowman Park, and have identified the upgrading of change room and canteen facilities as urgent priorities.
The proposed development is an acceptable solution under the BCC town Plan and all requirements have been met accordingly. The proposed upgrades include safe clean toilets and change rooms for all genders and access by persons with disability (PWD), security lighting, fire safety services, game day food preparation areas and appliances that comply with legislative food and safety requirements and storage for sports and field maintenance equipment.
We acknowledge concerns regarding these upgrades and we would like to reassure you that:
- We are re-using the existing footprint of the facility as much as possible;
- We have not applied to extend our existing food and beverage licence;
- New works has specifically been designed to be placed in areas that promote safety and inclusion while having the least impact to the environment and community enjoyment;
- All works have been or will be approved by Brisbane City Council.
The improvements are a necessity and community asset. BLFC is a non for profit volunteer organisation and, as lease holders, have a responsibility and legal requirement to ensure that the sporting facilities are maintained and upgraded.
An information night will be run in mid-November 2018. Details will be posted on this website by end of October and you can always contact us.
