Sport
Shepparton United Cricket Club set for fridge upgrades thanks to Citipower 2023-24 Canteen Grants program
“It’s tough to run a club out of a container and we’re running ours out of four now.”
That’s not a cry for help from Shepparton United Cricket Club president Steve Nash.
Rather, it’s a proud statement.
The October 2022 floods which buried United’s home, Princess Park, threatened to ankle the club, but following a healthy season for the books, the spare-parts, cobbled-together club set-up has been a smash hit.
In went the shipping containers, on came the power and it was back to business. And business is booming.
But as the combine’s season wraps up for another year, the club will have some help.
United has successfully secured a $5000 grant through the CitiPower 2023-24 Canteen Grants program and is one of 17 clubs from throughout Victoria to net cash through the stream offered in partnership with Cricket Victoria.
Nash said the money would be used to upgrade the club’s cooling stocks, with a glass double-door fridge and new freezer set-up to aid with keeping drinks cold and making ice for cold packs.
“We’re looking at putting in a new fridge and a new set of freezers in our canteen in our club colours,” Nash said.
“At the moment we’ve got a series of about three old freezers and an old fridge that we’ve been using for many a year.
“(The new fridge will) sit in the container down there at Princess Park that we’ve been using as our canteen over this cricket season.
“The other part is it’s a modern fridge — we’ve got old fridges that other people have got rid of, so they’re probably not very efficient to run.
“It’s going to be more efficient to have in there, we’ll be able to better display things and have it a bit more organised.”
While the new fridge and freezers likely won’t be plugged in until next season, the container isn’t the only amenity around Princess Park getting a gussy-up.
Shepparton United has made use of the ‘‘dome’’, embellishing a makeshift amphitheatre to host its junior and senior functions, the latter of which arrives on Friday night.
Nash said the club had welcomed a significant return of ex-players and club members to watch games and attend functions during the 2023-24 Cricket Shepparton season.
Considering the state of Princess Park a year ago, that is nothing short of amazing.
The latest hit of good news is another feather in the United cap when taking in the fact more than 100 clubs from Victoria applied for a share of the $81,000 offered through the latest rollout of the 2023-24 Canteen Grants program.
CitiPower general manager Scott Russell was rapt to help clubs like Shepparton United keep on keeping on.
“With over $80,000 invested in the latest round of this program, which is nearly a 50 per cent increase on the previous year, we’re seeing real benefits and safety improvements for players and volunteers alike,” he said.
“We all know how essential canteens are to local clubs, but it’s also the one place where electrical safety risks are most likely to be found.
“So far, we’ve awarded grants to 86 local cricket clubs, clubs who have now directly benefited from the program to improve their electrical infrastructure.”