By Mikayla van Loon
With the new Kilsyth Sports Pavilion just months away from completion, a fundraiser has been launched by the clubs to ensure it can be fitted out to the same quality as the building.
As the finer details of the Pinks Reserve facility get decided, the cricket and football clubs are looking to raise $80,000 initially to put towards the necessary kitchen equipment.
“So the $80,000 is really just to get us into the building and to be able to operate the kitchen and the canteen, which is where our money comes from,” Kilsyth Cricket Club secretary Lesley Watson said.
Although this will allow the cricket club to function as normal during the summer season, Lesley said really the fundraising goal is a lot bigger.
“The actual target is about $180,000. We’ve split it into the first phase and the second phase,” she said.
“The first phase is about $125,000 which includes beer lines going in, tables and chairs, fitting out the kitchens, the kiosks and all that sort of stuff.
“And then the second half is all things like the office, the first aid room, we’re trying to get in some fireproof cabinets, we’ve got all these books and memorabilia.”
Lesley said while the fundraiser will run until December, as soon as the builder requests the items for the first phase, it will be needed onsite.
“If we delay it, we have to install it, which is then more of a cost to us to install it,” she said.
The size and scale of the new $5.25 million pavilion means a far greater scale of equipment required, especially for seating.
Not only are there the essentials but with space for things like a gymnasium, Lesley said it would be nice to fit that out properly for the benefit of the players.
“There’s a lot of stuff. Second phase is the wish list,” she said.
Kilsyth Cricket Club, Kilsyth Senior and Junior Football Clubs have already each contributed $33,333, totalling $100,000, towards the build but with delays from the pandemic and inflation, cost estimates have increased.
Understanding the tough financial circumstances a lot of people might be in currently, Lesley said it doesn’t matter how small a donation, it all adds up to the grand total.
“It’s really difficult in this cost of living crisis. So the $80,000 we thought was the first baby step in the right direction without being too daunting for everybody.”
With a vision of making the pavilion a community destination and the ability to hire out the space, the club’s are of the mindset that the fit out needs to be done with that purpose at the forefront.
“We’re pushing the fundraising so we can match the detail that it is and then we can fit it out internally with the same class so we can draw people to the area,” Kilsyth Cricket Club junior coordinator Mark Watson said.
Sitting just under the $8000 mark, Lesley said she would encourage local businesses if they can to help sponsor the fit out or make a tax deductible donation like Club Kilsyth.
For the community, running until the end of July is a raffle prize incentive, where a donation of $50 dollars puts you in the running for a Sporting Globe voucher.
To help Kilsyth’s sporting clubs reach the target, the fundraiser can be found by going to www.asf.org.au/projects/kilsyth-cricket-club
