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| Junior Ipswich Knights Football Club players Celine Mair, Clare Parkes, Ronan McDowell and Riley Smith celebrate the soccer club's new clubhouse. |
IPSWICH Knights unveiled their multi-million dollar new clubhouse and changing rooms yesterday - a triumphant end to two tumultuous years for the club.
The 2011 floods left the club's fields under water and then covered in mud and debris, and the club house of 40 years unusable.
But when the Knights take to Eric Evans Reserve on March 10, their first home game of the season, a $2.2 million clubhouse will provide a fitting backdrop for the game.
Knight's president Troy Beahan said not only did the club gain a new facility, but it also helped secure promotion back into the Brisbane Premier League. Players had used demountables for changing rooms but now Mr Beahan said the players prepared in style. "It's been a long two years in demountables, they can go now," he said.
He said the club's facilities were substantially better than some of their more established Premier League rivals.
When the club and Ipswich City Council were planning the new facilities, Mr Beahan said he had the Premier League promotion in mind.
"We've got everything required for the Premier League," he said. "It's the perfect ending to a difficult time."
We've got everything required for the Premier League. It's the perfect ending to a difficult time.
The new facilities include four dressing rooms, a function room and a bar.
Ipswich City Council sports, recreation committee chairman David Morrison said sport was an important part of Ipswich life.
"That's why when the flood destroyed the Knights clubhouse we knew that rebuilding it would be a major priority for the council," he said.
"This project was the third largest of all flood reconstruction works after Colleges Crossing and the Goodna Bowls Club."
Councillor Bruce Casos said watching the Knights flood-damaged clubhouse being demolished was a big blow to the sporting community.
"Rebuilding this cherished community facility represents an investment in the future of soccer which will be particularly beneficial for recruiting junior players to the sport," he said.
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22.1.13
