New women’s changerooms in store for Bunbury United Soccer Club following $400,000 grant

Bunbury United Soccer Club have received nearly $400,000 from the Federal Government to construct women’s changerooms at their Hay Park ground.

The package is part of the government’s $200 million Play Our Way program, which aims to give women and girls more opportunities to access, participate and stay involved in sport and physical activity.

BUSC president Claire Reimers said they were told of their successful application are few months ago and are excited to finally share the good news.

“We’re excited to keep more females in the sport,” Reimers said.

“We know that one of their problem areas is having adequate facilities and by being able to build female changerooms, we can introduce more girls into the sport and keep females around soccer, having the facilities that they need to play.”

The new changerooms — slated to be completed by the end of 2026 — will mean Bunbury United’s girls and women’s sides will no longer have to share a changeroom with the men’s teams or be forced to kit up on the grass, or at home.

The club this year is boasting more girls than boys in the under-6 age groups, with multiple other all-girls teams, as well as girls who play in the mixed competition.

They also have a seniors side and a masters team, with hundreds of players across the association.

Player Scarlette Harris said the new facility would provide a safe environment and make her teammates feel more comfortable.

“We will actually be able to leave our stuff in there, we’ll be able to have showers, we’ll actually feel safe and not freak out that someone might walk in,” she said.

“I think it also leaves a safe environment for the men as well, that they can have their own space.

“And I think it just will bring us all closer together — all women together, stand together.”

As part of the development, female referees — who currently have to share a changing room with their male counterparts — will also have access to their own room where they can get ready for matches.