Georgia Tacey
One user group of Sunbury’s Eric Boardman Stadium feels it has been left out of the conversation amid a pledge for funding to upgrade the stadium.
The Sunbury Ladies Badminton Club has been playing at the stadium for over 20 years, and club secretary Cathie Briggs said glare on the courts has remained a continuous issue during that time.
“It’s been a never-ending frustration,” she said.
Ms Briggs said the club has been engaging with Hume council for a number of years to come to a solution. The club is asking for curtains or dividers to be installed that can be dropped down when they’re playing, to help reduce the glare on the courts.
“[Council has] come through with promises, and then they put something in that doesn’t work, like they installed clear skylights on top of clear skylights which makes absolutely no difference,” she said.
“We’re playing with a little white, feathered shuttle, so when it goes up, you’re either blinded by a light or you’re blinded by the excessive glare from the sunlight coming through the skylight.
“I think I would be a millionaire if I could have a dollar for every time somebody said ‘I just couldn’t see the shuttle’.”
Hawke MP Sam Rae promised Labor would put $2.5 million towards an upgrade of the stadium prior to the May 3 federal election, but Ms Briggs feels the badminton club has been left out of the conversation.
“It’s disappointing that you’re not heard, not communicated with, not involved in discussions and ignored,” she said.
Badminton Australia and Badminton Victoria have been working with the club over the past few years to help advocate on its behalf, with Badminton Australia chief executive Tjitte Weistra saying it’s “crazy” to see that its an ongoing issue.
“They’ve played at the same venue for so long and they’ve asked for this for so many years,” he said.
“The solution is very simple; it’s just whether the council is prepared to do it and that is to install dividers.”
A council spokesperson said they have been in talks with the club since the issue was raised in November 2022.
“In collaboration with the club and Badminton Victoria, Council have exhausted all options in terms of curtain divider installation and electronic shutters for the new skylights,” they said.
“Should there be alternate solutions to the issue, Council encourages further consultation with all parties.”
