Page 6 - AFL Queensland 2015 Year in Review

Twenty-fi een was a year of considerable improvement within the Infrastructure Planning unit, as we sta ed implementing a number of key projects outlined in the AFL Queensland Facilities Plan.
Our Football Facilities Audit continues to drive facility improvements across the state. Updated in its second year, it enables the tracking of facilities upgrades at community club precincts and allows comparisons of facilities in each city and region. This data is valuable, as it enables us to highlight and reward clubs that have pursued upgrades at their ovals, whilst identifying other clubs and regions that require facilities suppo services. One example of the Football Facilities Audit delivering improved facility
outcomes is at Chinchilla Suns, where the club used a poor facility rating to successfully lobby their Council to relocate to a be er facility. We will employ audit results to fu her assist clubs to enhance their facilities next year.
We assisted a number of clubs that su ered natural disasters in 2015. Major storm events in South East Queensland resulted in damage to several clubs in Brisbane, including our State Training & Administration Centre at Yeronga. Clubs in Yeppoon and Rockhampton were a ected by Cyclone Marcia in February, which damaged large pa s of the Capricornia region. AFL Queensland senior sta were on-site only days later, to assess damage and assist clubs with the recovery process. It was pleasing
to see the Yeppoon Swans bounce back from the cyclone to win a senior premiership.
A number of clubs completed
new facilities in 2015. New change rooms and player amenities were opened at Gordonvale in Cairns, Palm Beach Currumbin on the Gold Coast, and Harrup Park in Mackay. More than a dozen clubs state-wide upgraded their oval lighting, and nine new ovals were constructed or secured at locations including Ga on, Kalbar, Southpo , Broadbeach and Mackay. These projects were in addition to dozens of minor facilities upgrades across the state, ranging from goal ne ing installation to new scoreboards and oval fences.
Our sta continued to assist all clubs seeking to upgrade their precincts by sourcing plans and quotes, writing grants and helping with project management and acqui al.
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