Howzat! We're now out of the pavilion

HOWZAT??  WE'RE  OUT  (OF  THE  PAVILION)

We’ve now vacated the Ormond Park rooms to allow construction to start on the long-awaited new $2 million pavilion.
It’s been an eager build-up since our local ward councillors Jim Cusack and Nicole Marshall  pushed through the rebuild in the 2016 Moonee Valley Council budget, but it’s now set to take shape on the ground.
We moved our last gear out of the old rooms on February 28, into storage in our shipping container, and have now taken up residence in the portables on the north west corner of the playing field.
Fittingly, the move straddled the 300^th game of club legend Mark Gauci – we played the first day of the two-day game against Jacana out of the old pavilion, and completed the outright win on Day 2 operating out of the portables.
Above: The "Starlight Lounge" clubrooms - 300-gamer Mark Gauci (left) gets used to our temporary social area while our new clubrooms are built, while the Sixths take up a table in the background.
Our temporary complex comprises a bar/canteen portable, three changerooms – one for the umpires – and two toilet/shower blocks.
After the outright win over Jacana propelled us to third on the ladder and guaranteed the Firsts a spot in the finals, we were able to celebrate in the “Starlight Lounge” – the parkland around the portables.
Our temporary liquor licence incorporates the same days and hours of trading that we had in the old pavilion, and allocates us an ample outdoor licensed area to incorporate plenty of viewing of our games.
We will be handing over to football in the coming weeks for the winter season, and then expect to operate out of the temporary digs for all or most of the 2018/19 cricket season.
While there will be disruption for our players, supporters and members while the project rolls out, the inconvenience will be worth it when we move back into our new pavilion.
We’re continuing to liaise with the Council over the temporary facilities, including measures to best protect players and supporters from the weather, and will continue to update our members as the work progresses.
***For more pictures from our first night socialising at the portables, click HERE