Help the Murraylands Gymnasts get new venue

BACKGROUND:

The Murraylands Gymnastics Club has 380 members, and services the whole Murraylands, Mallee and lower Murray area. We run classes for people from 0-90 years, including KinderGym, gymnastics training/competition, Fit 4 Life.

When it first began 20+ years ago, it had less than 100 members; and skyrocketed in the last 3 years to 380+ members in 2024 (and a waiting list of more keen to join the club).

While conveniently located in the CBD, and providing affordable rent over the past 30 years, the current facility has had significant damage recently, and is now unable to cater for the club’s growing membership.

Currently the gymnastics club cannot use the space on weekends, and is restricted with access to toilets/bathrooms. As it stands, families cannot enter the space to watch their children participate or perform, coaches cannot use the space dynamically with various apparatus as they would like, and class sizes have to be kept to a minimum.

For the past 10 years, the club has been looking at options to either expand or move out of the existing shed – and now a major facility issue has forced an opportunity to make that move. In late 2023, the shed was flooded, with significant damage to the space (water damage, mould spreading) and subsequent damage to expensive club equipment. In the months following this event, the club has not been able to remedy the situation, and therefore the space is not appropriate for the club to use.

While the ideal scenario is that the club purchases its own land and build a customized gymnastics facility, this is a project that will take 5-10 years, and cannot be done immediately. Therefore a short-term solution is required.

Moving in to a larger facility that is solely leased/managed by the Gymnastics club provides significant outcomes for the club, its members, their families an the broader Murraylands community.

OPPORTUNITIES YOU DONATION SUPPORTS:

1. Doors can open in 2024: Currently there is no facility for the club to use/lease that provides the space needed for this sport. This is the only facility available that we have found in Murray Bridge, that is appropriate and affordable.

2. Autonomy: The club will have it’s own space, not shared by others, with minimal limits on the facility’s use. This means they can use the venue on all days, at all hours, without restriction from a co-owners/partnership arrangement. We can also potentially work on more fundraising opportunities.

3. Safety: More space means more room for athletes to jump, flip, swing, run, climb; and more area for safety equipment. The proposed venue also has more parking areas for families dropping off and picking up their children – including a no-through road. There are also better toilet/shower facilities, more space-cooling options, and better emergency access.

4. Sustainability: For the club to remain sustainable, and even open in 2024, it’s needs a space like this. It has a strong committee, excellent coaches, growth in membership and for it to remain strong into the next decade, needs a change of venue. Currently it cannot grow, hold comps, host performances/shows, or do fundraising activity on site. With this new site, all of these options open up to ensure a sustainable club that can continue to attract volunteers and members.

5. Growth: The floor space in this facility, is approx. 50% larger than what currently exists. This space allows for multiple classes to be run at once, more equipment to be able to stay set-up all year round, and opportunity for spectators/events. This will ensure that new members can join, more flexible classes are allowed for those travelling from outside of the township (ie. gymnasts come from the Mallee/Mannum/Meningie and beyond).

6. Events: It also allows the club to hold regional events – an opportunity to promote development of their own athletes, but also bring the SA country gymnasts to Murray Bridge. This will in-turn have a positive effect on the club’s fundraising and the city’s economy. Major events are currently held each year in Adelaide, Whyalla and Berri – and thousands of people come from around SA to attend over multiple days.

7. Programming: It also allows for more classes to run, as being the only tenant in the space means all hours available to open up more classes. Further classes means less restrictive time for people from across the region to attend; and more classes to open up. This also offers the developing coaches more opportunity to test their skills with smaller/specialist group classes like trampolining, tumbling and other.

8. Fundraising: The space will motivate the club to fundraise further, as the costs associated with rental will require this. But, it will also allow for new fundraising opportunities as it can attract events, sub-letting for gym glasses, space for sponsorship ad placements (large interior/exterior shed walls) and more.

THE SOLUTION:

The proposed facility: After searching for 3 months to find a new facility, the club has found an excellent space on Brinkley Road, Murray Bridge (one of the old Kookaburra Homes factory sheds, pictured below).

This provides high ceilings, large floor space, accessible toilets, and ample parking (the key requirements for the club). It also offers flooring that can have apparatus bolted to – another key requirement of gymnastics safety – and something not many landlords will allow.

We are so close to moving in - and now we need your help to do it!

All donations to this Go Fund Me page will contribute to:

Please note - the gym team is also working to source grant funding and working tirelessly on fundraising from other avenues as well - so anything you contribute here, helps us leverage other government grants and gives us a moment's break from all of that.

Please support us with as much or as little as you can. Every dollar is welcome and appreciated!