Queanbeyan's Freebody Oval will soon boast a new women's changeroom, after the Queanbeyan District Cricket Club was awarded a grant last week for nearly $850,000.
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The club has been pushing for female changerooms for at least the last two years, and the funding was awarded last week as part of the state government's Regional Sport Facility Fund.
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"The main benefits for us will be being able to host men's and women's cricket on both our grounds," QDCC president, Rohan Ditton, said.
"Previously, if we've had male or female cricket on, we've had to push the girls down to Brad Haddin Oval or Rockley Oval. This will give them the opportunity to play on the best ground in Queanbeyan, which is important for their development.
"The women's cricket we've hosted has been carnivals, either nationals or Defence Force carnivals.
"But certainly the ladies' numbers have been building within the club, and it's important to make sure they've got facilities at the best ground to be able to develop in a good place."
The QDCC did not have any women's sides play in Cricket ACT competitions in the 2020/21 season, but Ditton said there would "definitely" will be in 2021/22.
"By the combination of junior girls that are playing at the moment and also senior players from other clubs and out of the region that are going to play," he said.
"The numbers are very good and we'll absolutely have a team in the local competition.
"The numbers throughout the years haven't been great in the Canberra competition, but we've done a lot of work at the junior level to build up those numbers and we're certainly confident that, once word gets out that we've got these facilities, there'll be more ladies keen to get involved."
There is no current timeline for the construction of the changerooms, but the club hopes to have the building finished in time for the beginning of the 2022/23 season.
