July 15th, 2024Ballarat moves to level the playing field
The City of Ballarat has adopted a policy aimed at ensuring more equitable access to sporting and recreation facilities and programs for all genders.
At its June ordinary meeting, Ballarat City Council endorsed the Fair Access Policy, which seeks to address known barriers experienced by women and girls in accessing and using community sports infrastructure.
This policy establishes the expectation that gender and equality is prioritised in relation to sporting infrastructure, reflecting the City of Ballarat’s commitment to equal opportunity.
This would include, but is not limited to, the provision of female-friendly sporting change rooms, adding gender-based reporting into booking systems to collect data, undertaking Gender Impact Assessment’s on City of Ballarat strategies, and supporting local clubs to embed the principles.
A Fair Access Policy action plan will also be developed as part of a refresh of the Active Ballarat Strategy, due to take place in the 2024/25 financial year.
In the last four years the City of Ballarat has completed 12 projects with a focus on female-friendly access, with new builds or refurbishments at seven football/netball facilities and five soccer facilities.
Future sporting projects that have a female-friendly focus include the Doug Dean Reserve Changerooms Upgrade, City Oval Change Rooms Refurbishment and the Marty Busch Reserve No.2 Oval Changerooms.
City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Des Hudson said formalising the Fair Access Policy cemented the Council’s existing approach to gender equality at its sporting facilities.
“For a number of years now we have focused on keeping gender equality front of mind when it comes to our project planning and service delivery and I’m proud of the progress we have already made in this space,” he said.
“The purpose of this policy is to ensure that all genders and intersections can fully participate in all aspects of community sport, whether it is as a player, coach, administrator, official, volunteer, or spectator.”
Words: based on a media release issued by the City of Ballarat. Image: Supplied.
