In 2019 BJFC were awarded $500,000 from Jason Wood in Federal Funding to go towards upgrading our facilities. With limited grounds available in Berwick, after considering all our options we decided to use these funds to make improvements to the grounds at Akoonah Park.
We have used the oval for training for a number of years now, which has often posed issues with the uneven surface, water retention and limited facilities. This was exacerbated this year with unusually high rainfall in February.
The Project will see a levelling of the surface, including removal of built up areas and various other surface improvements. Extensive drainage will also be installed across the ground, along with potential irrigation. We are pleased to have Tim Bayard from Evergreen Turf managing the surface and drainage works, who is a member of our Club and was an Assistant Coach of our U12 Team this year.
Legacy Lighting will be installing brand new LED lighting and light towers, to a high quality that are suitable for night games. This will help upgrade the ground to an excellent training facility for our Club.
We are additionally having goal posts installed at the ground, as well as netting at the North end. We are also hoping to have new fencing around the ground and coaches boxes installed, however these will be budget permitting. We have access to toilet facilities and have been allocated a storage/changeroom in the brand new Scout Shed for use by our Club.
The ground will be available to us for training five nights a week, with the option of Auskick Saturday mornings. We are working towards playing games there on Friday nights and the possibility of weekends in the future. We thank the Akoonah Park Committee of Management for their cooperation and support of our Club.
After months of planning and preparation we are very excited to have the works commencing this week, which are scheduled to be completed by the end of the year.
In addition to the above there also some works commencing at Berwick Fields and Arch Brown.
Berwick Fields
After many years of campaigning this year finally saw major works undertaken at Berwick Fields. Casey City Council laid new turf across approximately half the oval, irrigation pipes were installed and synthetic grass was placed over the high traffic entrance to the ground. Our successful Minor Capital Works Grant will also see the construction of a tiered seating area in the coming weeks, which will hopefully become a covered spectator area in the future. A planned improved scoreboard was put on hold this year due to financial vigilance, however hopefully this will eventuate in the future.
Arch Brown Reserve
At Arch Brown the long awaited brand new scoreboard has been installed, which is ready to go for next season. To draw on the positives from this season the Arch Brown surface has had a well earned rest and is looking great. Federal Funding obtained by the Berwick Cricket Club will see a number of works being completed at Arch Brown in the near future, which will see various improvements to the facility.
This is all very exciting news and a big positive to begin preparation for season 2021.. Go Wickers!!
