MEDIA RELEASE
Thank you to our loyal & passionate sponsors, coaches, team managers, players, parents and the wider football community for the outpouring of support in relation to the current state of our home grounds, the Western Fields, within Kawana Sports Precinct.
Although Kawana Football Club calls this space “home”, the Club is a “hirer” of the Western Fields, and therefore, unlike most other community (sporting) groups on the Sunshine Coast who “lease” their fields from Sunshine Coast Council, does not have exclusivity over the facilities. The Western Fields are also “home” to Kawana Touch Football Association and the Sunshine Coast Fire. With
three major “hirers”, the fields and clubhouse facilities are used 7 days per week during the respective playing seasons and pre-seasons and provide a recreational space for around 1000 users.
We are disappointed with being moved out of the facility and grounds for the 11 days of the festival
event period and the disruption it caused for teams, players & parents who had travel for away games.
We are certain you have all seen the images and remain concerned about the likelihood of having all fields back in play for the expected return to our “home” grounds this weekend where both Kawana FC & Sunshine Coast Fire FC are due to host opposition teams on Friday night. Members of our Committee have been in contact with Sunshine Coast Council’s Stadium
Management Team who are the custodians of the fields, and we are advised to expect a plan of action from Council tomorrow, outlining the way forward for the continuation of seasons for Western Field “hirers”.
Kawana Football Club would like to acknowledge the patience of our sponsors who provide essential support to our Club despite having multiple interruptions to the facilities this year which have somewhat limited our ability to host home games, in turn limiting exposure to corporate signage. Your support is infinitely valuable, and we will continue to strive to show value for your investment.
We recognise & support cultural events and the vital role such events play in the social fabric of the Sunshine Coast. However, while the entire region is stretched to keep kids and adults in sport because of the limited provision of sporting infrastructure available, and while all three “hirers” are at maximum capacity because of the access limitations brought about by having three sharing Clubs operating from the site, we are extremely disappointed at the decision to host a cultural music event at a sporting facility in the middle of the sporting season.
We will continue to work with Sunshine Coast Council to seek playing areas for our great game, this great club, and the overall future of Community sport.
Kawana Football Club Committee
End of Media Release
