The first sod has been turned to expand AJAX Footy Club’s Albert Park facilities, which will add a new wing to the existing David Mandie Pavilion, featuring a large unisex change room, bathroom, gym, coaches’ room and physio room.
It is hoped the project will be completed, weather permitting, by mid-May.
What the new facility will look like.
Club president Ronnie Lewis described the start of construction as “very exciting for our whole club”, and what will be one of its biggest capital works projects as “much-needed, due to the growth of AJAX footy, and women’s footy in particular”.
He told The AJN on Monday, “This will give us the ability to create spacious new facilities, which will allow for different uses, more flexibility, and extra storage space, for the benefit of players and coaches.
“It will certainly service both the present needs, and future growth, of our club, and it’s wonderful that it will be named after Daryl Cohen, who was the club’s founding father.
“We are fortunate to have secured some funding from the Victorian government and Parks Victoria, and also a generous contribution from Hannah Cohen and the Cohen family.
“And we’d welcome further donations from the community, through our donor plaque program, to cover the balance.”
The AJAX and broader community can support the club’s donor plaque program by making a tax-deductible donation of $1000, to have their name appear prominently on one of 180 plaques that will be displayed inside the new change room for a term of 20 years.
Donations of $5000 or more will be recognised on a major donors board.
Lewis added that Gary Smorgon Oval’s amenities are also being improved through a separate lighting upgrade, “enabling [the club] to utilise the entire space of the oval better during evening training sessions”, plus refurbishment of the David Mandie Pavilion.
Jackettes player Morgan Klooger at pre-season training. Photo: Peter Haskin
On the footy side of things, Lewis said pre-season training for the club’s men’s and women’s teams is “going great”, and with the previous VAFA season cut short due to lockdowns, “Everyone is hungry for the new season to begin,” in early April.
“While a few experienced Jackas players have retired, what that does is present fantastic opportunities for our younger players to step up, and they have come to pre-season training in big numbers,” he said.
“We’ve also expanded our coaching depth, which poses well for the season ahead.”
To find out more about the club’s donor plaque program, phone Ronnie Lewis on 0412 444 211 or Craig Joel on 0417 001 008.
