WANDELLA’S netball sides will go into the 2017 Golden Rivers Netball League season with the newest courts in the competition.
Club stalwart, Faye Kenyon and Gannawarra Shire’s Cr Charlie Gillingham helped open the two refurbished courts during an evening of events last week.
The State Government provided $82,419 from its Country Football Netball Grant program towards the $113,000 project, with the club chipping in $30,000.
The works, which began late last year, included extending the total surface area of the reserve’s two courts to match the State’s netballing body’s standards, as well as install competition level lighting across both courts.
It was the fourth major rejuvenation to the Wandella Recreation Reserve’s netball courts, with the venue first boasting a playing area in the late 1930s.
“In the early days the dirt courts were in the same area as the courts are now, and on rainy days the mud was very sticky, and so the court was moved up on the rise on the other side of the football oval, near the Wandella tennis courts,” Kenyon said.
“The soil there was more sandy, hence after a wet day we didn’t finish with quite so much sticky mud on us.”
The courts were moved back to the western side of the reserve in 1955-56, with the men’s committee adding a tin lining to the toilet.
“This time was a period of success for the Wandella Basketball Club. We were premiers in 1953, 1954 and 1955, going to Melbourne for Country Week in 1954,” Kenyon said.
“The first concrete court was laid in the late 1960s and a room was added to the back of the afternoon tea shed and became our changeroom.
“To see the facilities we have today is a testament to a great family club.”
