By Callum Ludwig
Three years since construction began, the new pavilion at the Millgrove Recreation Reserve has officially opened, providing better facilities for the Yarra Valley Soccer Club (YVSC) and the Warburton-Millgrove Cricket Club.
YVSC marked the occasion with an official opening, also celebrating the club’s 20th anniversary.
YVSC President Andrew Ronalds said the improved quality of facilities isnt even comparable to the previous pavilion.
“It’s very important for the soccer club and important for the wider community as well, we’ve got four change rooms, six bathrooms, a commercial kitchen and running hot water, which is something the facility never had,” he said.
“We feel blessed and obviously very lucky, especially as we also got state-of-the-art lights for the pitch.”
The new pavilion is closer to the pitch and has a larger undercover area, giving spectators a better view of the action while protecting them from cold and rainy nights at Millgrove, as well as a dedicated changing space for the referees and new access roads for the car parking.
Mr Ronalds said the club has come a long way since it was founded as a women’s team that played at a site on the Yarra Valley Archery Park in Launching Place.
“We’ve grown so much from there and over the last two seasons post-Covid, our membership numbers have grown. Last year we fielded four men’s teams for the first time ever and in the juniors as well for the first time in a long time, there’s definitely a renewed interest,” he said.
“We welcome anyone to the club, no matter your ability or where you come from and have a good volunteer base from the Committee to the players and the parents of the juniors. Our catchment area even surprises me, we’ve got players from Warragul and even as far as Shepparton, as well those who come up from the eastern suburbs.”
The new changerooms also have collapsible interior walls which can open up the space for club functions and gatherings as well as serve as an emergency shelter in the event of a natural disaster.
Mr Ronalds said moving forward, the club hopes to hold their position in the Premier Division.
“We got bumped up last year and have held it this year and have made a pretty strong start, but also just to grow the club as well,” he said.
“We want to grow the junior and ladies membership, putting a junior girls team on the pitch is one of our goals for next season.”
YVSC competes in the Victorian Churches Football Association (VCFA) with the first XI finishing sixth last season in the top tier.
Yarra Ranges Council Mayor Jim Child said we know that pavilions like these are homes away from home, places where committees and club members spend countless hours, game days and training evenings.
“But we also know that the wonderful growth of clubs here in Millgrove and the increase in both men’s and women’s teams locally highlighted the need for a new pavilion – somewhere with change rooms for people of all genders, and somewhere that the club will grow into as this new space attracts new club members and spectators,” he said.
“This project is worth almost $2 million, and I’d really like to thank Sport and Recreation Victoria for their support, and to our local clubs for their advocacy, their patience and their enthusiasm – all of which made this project a reality.”
Timber from the mill in Millgrove and stone from the local quarry were also sourced for the construction.
