PRESIDENTS REPORT Along with other clubs who use Anzac Park, LJFC was invited to attend a meeting at Clarence City Council on Tuesday 6 August, with myself and Jeremy Busch attending. The meeting was called to explain to the clubs that capital works, with funding approved in the 2019/2020 Annual Operating Plan for irrigation work, is to be undertaken on Lindisfarne #1 (back oval). This ground will be closed from early March 2020 until the end of the winter season. Affected teams to relocate to Risdon Vale/Geilston Bay Ovals. As a follow up to that, council advised that Risdon Vale Oval and facilities (lights and new change rooms) are going to be upgraded to enable it to become an Australian Rules ground during winter. Cricket will continue to be played at Risdon Vale Oval during the summer months. Some Lindisfarne sports ground clubs/teams will relocate to the Risdon Vale Oval for training and games on a permanent basis from 2021. The board and coaches / managers group have met and have considered the following position. A copy of this position has been made available to council and all 12 Clarence Alderman. At this stage, we are informing our members of council’s intentions and our response. More to come over the following months! Lindisfarne Junior Football Club (LJFC) is driven by the values of collaboration, compassion, inclusion and community. Rich in history and tradition, those that have come before us have created a ‘home’ at Anzac Park, where community is a common and enduring enterprise. LJFC is a club where everyone can come together. Our club is mindful that our current State Government has a target to build Tasmania’s infrastructure for the 21st century. We understand and respect the role that local government plays in supporting grassroots, community clubs like LJFC. We acknowledge that local government, specifically Clarence City Council, are the major stakeholder for LJFC and access state funding that is allocated for infrastructure. As elected members, who represent our community, we ask aldermen to consider our response to a letter, dated August 2, inviting LJFC to consider relocation to Risdon Vale Oval for training and games on a permanent basis. RESPONSE LJFC currently has 247 registered participants, 225 social members, supports three community Auskick centres’ and 14 teams, including males and females. LJFC have 34 accredited coaches, 53 volunteers and participate in the STJFL competition from April to September. The LJFC’s community residential zone, as stipulated by the Southern Tasmanian Junior Football League, begins at Rosny/Montagu Bay and goes through to Risdon Vale. The club also attracts members from Warrane and Otago Bay towards Old Beach (where the member attends school in Lindisfarne). Our current base is situated at Anzac Park, Lincoln Street, Lindisfarne. This venue is central to our intake area, has a welcoming club environment and optimises access and growth within the local community. LJFC are currently growing at a rate of two teams a year, driven by the increase in female participation. With significant development planned for Anzac Park over the next two to three years and a Master Precinct Plan that maps out future use, our club has been asked to consider alternative options for training and games from 2020. Edition 6 – August 2019 1 The LJFC strongly rejects a permanent relocation to Risdon Vale. This move would have a detrimental effect on the clubs ability to maximize access, participation and growth into the future. Our club is unwilling to support a move to Risdon Vale from 2021 due to, but not limited to, the following key factors: Less than 5% of our current membership is drawn from Risdon Vale 68% of current membership is drawn between Montagu Bay and Geilston Bay Low levels of connectivity to Risdon Vale from both Metro and private bus services inhibits members access to training and games, particularly members seeking transport directly from school Lack of connectivity to the local Lindisfarne business community reduces the club’s capacity to encourage community and corporate sponsorship Potential members in the Warrane/Montagu Bay/Rosny suburbs will be drawn to Clarence Junior Football Club due to the inconvenience of travelling to Risdon Vale, jeopardising the sustainable growth of the LJFC This move would inhibit the clubs capacity to provide an inviting, accessible community facility that caters for diversity, encourages volunteer support and continues to see club growth into the future CONSIDERED OFFER LJFC is willing however, to consider a permanent move to Geilston Bay no 2 ground on the basis that a move, significantly improves the capacity of LJFC to deliver Australia Rules Football to the broader Lindisfarne and Eastern Shore community. A permanent move to Geilston Bay no 2 ground would ensure the club remains accessible to community residential requirements, is easily accessed via public transport and improves capacity to deliver on expected growth in participation while strengthening partnerships with the local and broader community. Any move, would need to satisfy, under a Memorandum of Understanding, and include some or all of the following: 1. Construction of lights at Geilston Bay no 2 oval, 2. Co-construction of a multi-purpose facility, in a partnership between the Department of Education and Clarence City Council on land owned by DoE 3. Infrastructure to include classrooms and a meeting space that can be used during the day by students at LNPS, 4 sets of change rooms and a multi-purpose space upstairs that enables club functions and broader community use. 4. Co-construction of a multi-purpose facility, 4 sets of change rooms and a multi-purpose space upstairs that enables functions and broader community use on land adjacent to Geilston Bay no 2 on De Bomfords Lane. 5. Invitations would be extended to local community groups to access the space after hours. Maintaining the club’s viability and sustainability into the future is of paramount importance to the LJFC. Our position is non-negotiable. On behalf of the board, we look forward to discussing this consideration with alderman and council. As you can see the Board have already started the process of voicing to council where we stand on this matter and are in the hope that we can work side by side to get an outcome that is appropriate for both parties. We will keep you all posted with any movement involving this situation. Edition 6 – August 2019 2 GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION Canteen Massive thanks to Mel Plummer and her team for keeping us fed, refreshed and happy on Game Day. We really appreciate you taking on the lease of the canteen and freeing up parents and families so they can watch, cheer, and volunteer at our home games. We hope to see you and your team back in 2020! Communications To Rick Cobbing in the communications bunker, you have done an awesome job with the newsletter, keeping us all informed with social media posts, updating our members with Friday night and other reminders. We look forward to seeing you back in 2020! Bar Wowee ladies, Helen, Robyn, Kim and Tracey, your smiles, helpful service and laughter have helped make the clubhouse a fun place to spend a few hours on a Friday night after training. We are grateful for your time. Two weeks left and then you will need to find something else to do on a Friday night for 6 months - see you in 2020! Kitchen Tracey, you smashed that kitchen in 2019. We ran out of food most nights and there were some great innovations in 2019, the toasties, the fish n chips and the salmon burgers were all winners! LJFC Board Running an effective club takes goodwill and good people. How lucky we are to have a board who work together to ensure our club continues to grow, thrive and deliver footy to our community. Clarence Council / Anzac Park Ground staff Without a playing surface and change rooms, we cannot participate. Thanks to Jamie and the ground staff at Anzac Park and Jenny and Michaela at Clarence Council for ensuring we have somewhere to train and play. STJFL To Tony Gibson and the team at STJFL, thanks for the administrative support in helping our club deliver footy in our local corridor. AFLTAS To Andrew, Grace and Lynsey at AFLTAS, thanks for providing advice and resources and time throughout the season. Your support is appreciated. Sponsors Luke at La Mensa, Ben at Banjos, Jeremy at Signrite, Dan at ICON and Mick at Nu-Jet, thanks for investing in our club, supporting our players and families and helping LJFC be a destination club on the Eastern Shore for Australian Rules Football Edition 6 – August 2019 3 Coaches, Managers and Volunteers Thanks for your time, energy and putting your hand up to help. Our players participate but without your willingness to play a role at training, on game day and behind the scenes, the job simply does not get done! Players Thanks for running, tackling, laughing, huffing, puffing, encouraging your team mates, accepting advice and embracing the culture of our club this season. See you on Gala Day! Families The engine room behind a successful club. You provide transport, wash uniforms, pay registrations, cheer, volunteer, encourage, coach, umpire and contribute throughout the season. Thank you! By Andrew Moore President COACHING NEWS AND UPDATE - 2020 With some teams finishing their rosters last weekend, it’s time to reach out and say thanks to all our Coaches, Managers and Volunteers who help on match day and at Auskick. Our club simply would not function, if not for the goodwill of our volunteers - you are appreciated. Some teams (Under 13) are still playing and training, with the Under 14 and Under 15 boys, likely to make finals and our Under 16 girls, locked in a battle for the final spot.