Newsletter for the Rotary Club of Western Endeavour - Issue No.: 1115 Issue Date: 14 Apr, 2024

Leederville Sporting Club (LSC) - Future Directions

Vice President Kane Blackman of the LSC spoke enthusiastically about changes being considered for implementation through to EOFY 2025.  His involvement started from small beginnings with being a member and enjoying the green spaces. In a conversation in a friend’s garage pondering on how they could improve and influence the well being of the local community in West Leederville, they decided the LSC provided the perfect platform. The garage conversation grew to 40 local dads with the Fathers of West Leederville (FOWLs) group, who all signed up as LSC members, as each wanted to belong to a casual community space that welcomed families.

The LSC and surrounds were a nearby facility and so they started to get involved.  As a consequence in the last year there has been an increase in membership from 100 to 310 members.

The thoughts are that the facility should:

• Cater for young families as well as other parts of the community
• Offer greater options for members and guests to enjoy
• Have food available when the facility is open
• Improve the drinks options for guests
• Community events should be scheduled to draw the public to the facility

To this end the LSC Board undertook a community consultation exercise with its members, and received about 30 submissions detailing ideas for implementation.  Our Rotary club along with the other Rotary clubs who meet at the venue have also made contributions.

Various groups currently use the facility and this is to be encouraged.

Significant political and local leaders have shown an interest, attended the venue and viewed presentations of the plans. 

And last week, the Labor party candidate for Churchlands, Christine Tonkin, was successful in engaging with the party to announce that a Mark McGowan elected Government at the next election would provide $143,000 to the LSC for necessary infrastructure upgrades. 

In detail these plans include:

• Disabled toilet facilities and change facilities for children
• Upgrade to the kitchen to include grease trap and better ventilation, and stainless steel benches
• Fencing to the carpark to better contain the area to make it safer for families with young children
• Activation of an underutilised area to create a new social space for members and guests
• Better access to Holyrood Park with fencing between the bowling area and the park, remedial work to damaged areas and better lighting. Some of this work is underway already.
• Adding a container in line with the Containers for Change Project partnering with Rotary and Greenbatch with the Town of Cambridge promoting its use.  Work on this project has already commenced with a container already full to the brim and ready for collection.  Profits from this venture will be put to assisting with Rotary projects at the conclusion of each year
• Better use of the adjacent grassed carpark area for events
• Better information dissemination as to LSC open times

Upgrade plans for the local shed area is shown to left

Brian Buckley, LSC Board member, also a resident of the area and owner of two Pubs has led the revamp of the bar to bring greater and improved options for people to enjoy. Importantly he explained, he could deliver this at a lower cost from the price the LSC was previously purchasing drinks. He mentioned the improved wine list and expanded range of crafts beers on tap. A local community wine representative has also been engaged to procure wine at a better price.

The Board is seeking additional ways to improve the financial sustainability of the club, and is welcome to businesses engaging with the club to sponsor various benches and events.  New revenue is also being received from the Container for Change initiative and the hire of outdoor games to members.

It is encouraging and inspiring to see the energy and local involvement being put to these new ideas and we wish the LSC the very best in their endeavours. 

All our Rotary club members have also become members of the LSC to show both solidarity and commitment to the ongoing work of the LSC.  Our club is also organising the occasional bowling evening to put to use the facilities. There are opportunities for Rotary club members to get more involved with the club if they want.