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Centrals upgrade enters final stage

March 7, 2024 11:30 am in by
Work is continuing on the $5.7m upgrade of Galvin Park's Sexton Pavilion. (Werribee Centrals)

Werribee Centrals will spend the first month of the GDFNL season on the road as the $5.7m upgrade of Galvin Park’s Sexton Pavilion enters its final stage.

The Centurions were already fixtured as the away team in rounds 1, 3 and 4, but president Chris Koepolke confirmed they had swapped their meeting with Geelong West in Round 2, with the Giants to head up the highway in Round 13.

It will see Centrals christen their upgraded facility against Winchelsea in Round 5.

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“We want to make sure the standard is there for the officials, the visitors and (our) members,” Kopolke said.

“And it suits us better that we have more games at the end of the year, and the facilities will be closer to being finished, and we can operate Past Players’ Day, more functions, and so forth.

“It’s a no-brainer for us.”

The upgrade includes a second-storey extension with a social room, committee room, kitchenette, timekeepers area and offices.

There will be four accessible changerooms, new umpire rooms, first-aid room and storage.

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Kopelke says the works were much needed.

“We had rotten sewage that they found … pipes that they didn’t even know existed,” he said. “That would explain the smell over the years.

“We’re sharing it with the Blue Ribbon Foundation and Reclink with Peter Cullen.

“They’re going to be joint tenants with us upstairs and have their offices there.

“It’s going to be an essential hub of Werribee.”

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The bulk of the funding has come from the three levels of government – federal, state and local, with the Centurions also contributing a significant amount.

“We’re lucky we’ve had so many grants from state, federal, and (Wyndham) council that’s put us up to it,” Kopelke said.

“We’re looking at about $150,000-$200,000 to deck out upstairs.

“We’re putting something into the building, as we have since day one.”

Kopelke also revealed that Centrals are considering a return to night footy in 2025 after upgrading Galvin Park’s lighting to 150 lux.

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“We won’t use it this year because of the construction going on,” he said.

“But that brings us up to another level.”

Kopelke said this year’s Past Players’ Day is looming as a big one for Werribee Centrals.

They will celebrate 40 years of doing the seniors-reserves double in their first season in the GDFNL against Bannockburn in Round 16

The Centurions, who had crossed from the former Western Suburbs League, claimed the Division 2 titles after beating Bannockburn and Anakie, respectively.

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Centrals will use their meeting with Anakie in Round 14 to mark the 20th anniversary of their most recent senior premiership.

In 2004, Centrals defeated Corio in a grand final replay after the two teams couldn’t be separated the week before.

X: @krockfootball

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