Coalition commits to fixing and improving Leongatha’s Splash Stadium

Shadow Minister for Sport Anne Ruston vowed to stop the indoor rain at Leongatha’s aptly named Splash Stadium, committing $3.5 million to fix the leaking roof and make other improvements should the Coalition win Government next month.
She was accompanied by Mary Aldred, the Liberal candidate for the seat of Monash.
New president of Leongatha Basketball Association Natasha Gibbons is delighted at the prospect of solving the stadium’s long running challenges.
She looks forward to not relying on an elaborate series of upturned umbrellas attached to the ceiling and connected to pipes to catch water, that system put in place by South Gippsland Shire Council as a stop gap measure.
Waterproofing the stadium may involve putting another roof over the existing one Natasha believes.
She said that as well as fixing the roof, the funding would enable the creation of offices and a small commercial kitchen, along with other improvements.
She noted that as well as the sporting benefits that would provide, it could enable the stadium to be used as a community relief centre if required.
Mary told the Sentinel-Times of her connection to basketball locally and her delight at the prospect of improvements to Splash Stadium.
“As a former chair of Gippsland United Basketball League, it’s been fantastic to work with the club here over the years and I know how passionate the families, coaches and umpires are about the facility,” she said, then commenting on the undesirable uniqueness of the stadium as it is currently.
“I’ve never seen a roof in all of Gippsland like this one and I’m sure I’d be hard-pressed to find one across Australia with umbrellas holding out water; so I’ve been determined since day one as a candidate to work with the club here and, as a member of the Coalition team, being able to put my case directly to the Shadow Minister for Sport on a number of occasions about why this is so important.”
Anne made her announcement to a contingent of young Leongatha Lightning players.
“I heard your roof leaks a lot which is not conducive to you having a great court to play on, so if we’re elected as the next Government, we’re going to fix your roof,” she declared.
Anne called for the umbrellas to remain even when the roof is fixed “as a legacy”, she and others impressed by their uniqueness and this scribe feeling they might easily be taken for a modern art installation.
The kids enjoyed seeing Mary and Anne take some shots at the basket, no easy challenge when they were wearing jackets.