Sports clubs that call Gerry Emery Oval home – Gerringong Breakers Football Club, the Gerringong Jets Cricket Club and the Gerringong Touch Association – have joined forces to create the Gerringong Districts All Sports Incorporated.

This will enable them to move ahead with ambitions to update the clubhouse to provide more facilities for females and disabled access.

Despite being in the midst of devising Council’s first Open Spaces and Recreation Policy, which will create a process for future upgrade requests, Kiama councillors voted unanimously to provide John Trevenor and the newly registered body with an Owner’s Letter of Consent. (Correction: Councillor Mark Croxford voted against the motion.)

This is needed to submit a Development Application for the project and begin seeking funding.

“We are not building a block of flats, we are not asking Council for any finance,” he says. “There are millions of dollars in grants available for these kinds of projects. All I need is a DA number and then we can fly.”

Mr Trevenor, who is suffering from ill health, says that he wants to get this project underway for the community and the female sportspeople in Gerringong.

“I just want to do this one last thing and get this started.”

Apart from the groups that regularly use the oval, Mr Trevenor has the support of Gerringong Public School, the South Coast School Sports Association and the Combined High Schools Association for the project.

“With the increased number of female competitors in all sports that use the oval, upgrades to the women’s change rooms are a definite priority. There are only four toilets and no change rooms.

The building also needs changes to the foyer and a lift to allow disabled access from the ground to the first floor.

John Trevenor showing the plans to Fiona Phillips MP last year

“Mike Dowd [Kiama Council’s Director of Engineering and Works] was the one who got me past the post. He’s been a great help to me,” says Mr Trevenor.

“After several concept plans, we finally came up with the latest drawing. I’m happy to make any changes that Council may require. So far, I’ve paid for all of this myself.”

Deputy Mayor Imogen Draisma, who is driving the Open Spaces and Recreation Strategy, asked Mr Trevenor at the public access meeting how much time and effort he and other club members had put into developing plans for Gerry Emery Oval.

He said it had already taken thirteen months.

Kiama Council’s Open Spaces and Recreation Strategy plans to assess the state of sporting facilities, play facilities, parks and open play spaces to identify future priorities and investment.

Council has already met with 11 sports clubs and associations and plans to meet with further key stakeholders and community members to get their input.

A draft Open Spaces and Recreation Strategy will be reported to Council and placed on public exhibition by the end of 2022.