MOUNT HELENA’S Elsie Austin oval is set to receive $500,000 to improve change rooms in an election pledge from the WA Liberals to ensure local athletes had access to modern facilities.

Elsie Austin oval is home to the Mt Helena Senior and Junior Football Clubs and the Perth Hills Junior Cricket Club, which operates across four grounds.

The Mt Helena Junior Football Club had been working with Inclusion Solutions to support children with disabilities, but the lack of appropriate access to the oval and pavilion remained a significant barrier.

The existing change rooms were built in the 1960s and no longer met modern standards or building codes and lacked essential accessibility features.

The Shire of Mundaring has committed to replacing the change rooms with a new $2.5 million facility but required funding support from the state government.

A request for the services of an architectural consultant to design, document and superintend was advertised by the shire in August last year.

Kalamunda Liberal candidate Adam Hort said the outdated change rooms were a long-standing issue for local sporting clubs and called for greater investment in community infrastructure.

“These change rooms are well past their use-by date and simply do not meet the needs of our growing sporting community,” Mr Hort said.

“Football and cricket are an integral part of life in the hills, and our players deserve safe, modern, and accessible facilities.

“Sport should be for everyone, yet these outdated changerooms make it difficult for children with disabilities to fully participate.

“Our commitment will help ensure the new facility is inclusive and accessible for all players.”