Baldwin Recreation Reserve in Sale will finally receive female friendly facilities after being granted substantial funding to complete the required capital works.

The $489,445 in funding has been made possible by a $100,000 grant from Sports and Recreation Victoria, $339,445 from Wellington Shire Council and $50,000 raised by Sale United Football Club.

The funding will be used to undertake works at the current Sale United Football Club Rooms located at the Baldwin Recreation Reserve on Raglan Street with the existing facilities being completely overhauled to include not only new female change rooms but also female referee facilities.

Wellington Shire Council Mayor Carolyn Crossley, says: “It is great to see that the female members and users of the reserve will have the use of their own facilities for the first time in the club’s history. Hopefully, having these female facilities will attract more women and young girls to take part in the reserves sporting activities.”

Sale United Football Club President, Jon Piefke, stated: “These facilities are overdue to say the least. Previous years have seen the Senior Men and Women teams sharing the current facilities, which hasn’t been ideal.

“We have seen a steady decline in women and junior girls around the club up until last year, which was the first time in the years we have had a Senior Women’s Team enter the Latrobe competition.

“We are confident once the new facilities are completed we will see an increase not only in Senior Women but also Junior Girls participating in the sport.”

Anyone interested in joining the Club is encouraged to contact Club President Jon Piefke on 0447 744 895.

The tender process will commence shortly and capital works are due to commence later in the year.

The new facilities are due to be complete by March 2018 in readiness for the commencement of the 2018 Latrobe Valley Soccer League season.