Bayside Gymnastics Club has been working with the FDBA and Frankston City Council on seeking funding for the proposed $45M Frankston Basketball Stadium Redevelopment, which will include a dedicated gymnastics facility.
The redevelopment is one of council's priority projects, with a $15 million council commitment being made in support of the basketball stadium upgrade and building of a much needed fully equipped, modern gymnastics facility - a first for the sport in the City of Frankston. Matching $15 million funding commitments from both State and Federal Governments, are currently being sought to fully fund project costs in this, a double election year.
In a surprising development, on the 17th March, Peta Murphy the Federal Member for Dunkley, announced that an elected Labor Federal Government "would invest 15 million dollars in the redevelopment of the Frankston Basketball Stadium" with "room for gymnastics too." The announcement was made at the Bardia Avenue Basketball Stadium, alongside Frankston City Council Mayor Cr Nathan Conroy, CEO Phil Cantilon and his team, the FDBA Board of Management, staff, players and volunteers, and Bayside Gymnastics Head Coach Katrina Aldington.
Following the announcement, Bayside Gymnastics Club President, Joyce Stocker, expressed excitement for the future of the sport in the local area. "The Club is extremely pleased with the commitment for the full $15 million being requested towards the redevelopment, and this is a strong acknowledgement from Ms Murphy, of the need for improved facilities for both basketball and gymnastics in the Frankston local community," she said.
"Gymnastics, in particular, is hugely under-represented in terms of access to community facilities, despite having the 3rd highest sporting participation rate in Australia for children aged 0 - 14 years."
The City of Frankston sits in the Local Government Area Gymnastics Region of Metro South. "Metro South has the highest gymnastics participation rate in the state, at 6.4%. However, participation rates in Frankston, have consistently sat between 2 - 3%, the lowest in the region and this is largely due to the lack of fully equipped facilities."