Only one of six showers at the Boorowa Showground’s football dressing rooms had hot water for senior rugby league players on Saturday leaving many footballers unable to use the facility after a match played in the cold and mud.
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The only shower providing hot water was in the Boorowa Rovers’ dressing room after their match against Crookwell, leaving their opponents with only cold water in their change room.
In a joint statement the presidents of Boorowa’s rugby league, rugby union and junior rugby league clubs described the dressing rooms as ‘antiquated’.
“[They] can’t cope with today’s demands and expectations and all of the community should look towards an holistic approach to upgrading our main sporting arena,” they said.
Boorowa’s Goldies and Bushrangers teams also played at the showground on the weekend.
Justin Fleming, Boorowa Rugby Union Club president, said the shower facilities are usually okay.
“But when we’ve got big days like [Saturday] it needs a freshen up,” he said.
Boorowa Council is currently looking into the hot water in the showers after becoming aware of this issue on the weekend.
Council’s general manager Therese Manns said: “In relation to maintenance of the football facilities, council does maintain these facilities within the available budget, however as this budget is limited, both sporting groups and the community that use the facilities are encouraged to ensure the facilities are left in good condition following use.
“Council has been fortunate in the past to have received grant funding to construct facilities such as this.
“The challenge for council is to ensure that when these facilities are built that we maintain the required funding levels to provide for renewals.
“Council is currently undertaking significant work on asset management and during 2012/2013 will be drafting an asset management plan for all buildings owned by council and determining how within funding constraints we can manage these assets to meet community needs.”
The dressing rooms opened in 1989 after being constructed using funds supplied partly by the Boorowa and District Sports Council, representing the Boorowa rugby union, Rovers rugby league and the junior league clubs, with assistance from South West Electricity, the Boorowa Shire Council and government grants.
Across the showground area different sport organisations have contributed by erecting facilities to enhance and beautify one of Boorowa’s most used grounds.
Over time wear and tear and vandalism have become more visible at the showground’s football dressing rooms.
