Image: Carly Ravenhall/AFL South East
AFL Victoria is pleased to announce that the City of Casey’s redevelopment of Clyde Recreation Reserve has been awarded the 2024 AFL Victoria Best Community Facilities Project Award.
The AFL Victoria Best Community Football Facilities Project Award is announced annually to recognise best practice in community football facility development across the state, along with the people, clubs and other stakeholders driving the best projects in Victoria.
The City of Casey upgraded and expanded Clyde Recreation Reserve by constructing three Australian Rules football/cricket ovals and two multipurpose pavilions, along with two netball courts, and eight tennis courts to meet significant demand for active open space in the local area.
The Clyde Cougars Football Club will benefit from this redevelopment to their home ground facilities, which came at a total project cost of $21.5 million.
Clyde Recreation Reserve has provided an opportunity for the tenant clubs to increase participation in sport, particularly among females and diverse communities. Since moving back to the reserve, Clyde Cougars Football Club was able to grow their club with an additional 86 registered football participants and this included 44 new females to the club.
Through this growth the football club were able to establish 3 new girls only teams for the first time in their history. The redeveloped facility has provided the club with a welcoming, safe and inclusive environment for all participants and their families, along with the broader Clyde community.
As the winner of the AFL Victoria Best Community Football Facilities Project Award for 2024, Clyde Recreation Reserve Redevelopment will be put forward as the Victorian nomination for the national AFL Ken Gannon Community Football Facilities Award in 2025.
The award was presented by AFL Victoria to the City of Casey Mayor Stefan Koomen and Clyde Cougars Football Club President Craig Chapman on Wednesday afternoon at Clyde Recreation Reserve.
AFL Victoria Venue and Government Partnerships Manager Jessie Doull said that this redevelopment was the work of collaboration between the Victorian State Government, the local council and the local football club.
"It's fantastic to see the results of this collaboration, driving positive outcomes for the local community," Doull said.
"This redeveloped facility has provided the club with a welcoming, safe and inclusive environment for all participants and their families, along with the broader Clyde community."
City of Casey Mayor Stefan Koomen said the redevelopment is a proud moment for the Casey community.
"Sport is very important and the key to our community, showing the importance of having good sporting facilities, where communities can gather, we have a diverse community in Casey," Koomen said.
"Facilities like this provides a place for people to socialise and meet others through sport, this facility is vital in building strong communities and there is a lot of pride for the community in this facility."
Clyde Cougars Football Club President Craig Chapman said the redevelopment has had a significant impact on the rate of female participation at the club, due to the increased facilities available.
"What has been built here is truly inspirational and are able to provide a safe and welcoming environment, it is not about changerooms and footy ovals but this is a place for the entire community to gather," Chapman said.
"This is a place where the players and their parents can come back and celebrate their achievements on and off the field.
“Developments like this are not just about bricks and mortar; it’s about creating opportunities and providing equal opportunities for girls and boys to play our great game of AFL and all the other sports that get to use these magnificent facilities.
“We’ve not only grown but doubled in size from last season because of the magnificent facilities. We’ve gone from less than 10 girls enrolled last season to approximately 50 this season and that’s an awesome achievement.”
Since the club has relocated back to the reserve post-redevelopment, it has been able to field three girls-only football teams for the first time in the club’s history.
2023 WINNER - MILDURA SPORTING PRECINCT - CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO
Mildura Sporting Precinct was the 2023 AFL Victoria Best Community Football Facilities Project winner, with the $10.8 million development being also honoured as a joint national winner of the AFL's annual Ken Gannon Community Football Facility Awards for 2023.
For more information about facilities and funding opportunities available to Victorian clubs, visit play.afl/victoria/facilities.