Junior Presentation Day and Waterworth Park Celebration

Post date: Sep 4, 2017 3:17:18 AM

Over 250 people including around 120 junior players converged on Gough Whitlam Park in Earlwood last Saturday 26^th August, 2017, as the Cooks River Titans held their End of Season Junior Presentation Day as well as the Club celebrating gaining access to Waterworth Park across the road.

It was a beautiful, sunny yet mild winter’s day and the crowd began gathering from as early as 9.30am to enjoy the official end of the football (soccer) season where players are rewarded for their efforts all year in playing the game they love by receiving a trophy or a medallion.

The Club was grateful to have dignitaries also in attendance to make it a memorable day: the Federal Member for Barton Ms Linda Burney as well as the State Member for Canterbury Ms Sophie Cotsis were on hand to present trophies to some of the junior teams and join in the celebration for the Club to be able to use Waterworth Park.

Being able to use Waterworth Park has been a campaign which started back in 2014 when the Club was formed. Members of the Committee had worked tirelessly putting proposals and submissions together for Council, co-operating and partnering with other sporting, environmental and community groups as well as the local school and local concerned residents as to why the previous Council was so against the Club using the field. They had multiple meetings with members of state and federal parliament, as well as local government. They attended a Parliamentary Summit organised to protect Crown Land from development, participated in surveys and spoken to countless residents all in an attempt to keep Waterworth Park green. They even spoke on numerous occasions at local council meetings only to be shunned or shouted down by a certain Councillors who had other intentions for the park.

Thankfully, a change in Council happened with the amalgamation between Canterbury and Bankstown and with it came logical and untainted thinking for what is best for the community. This along with the unbelievable support from the local members of parliament and other community partners has enabled a favourable outcome almost 3 years later and will be a huge milestone for the new Club.

In order to celebrate such an achievement, the Club organised a free BBQ whereby all players, parents and supporters were treated to scrumptious sausages or souvlakis as well as drinks of their choice.

The Cooks River Titans would like to take this opportunity to thank the following individuals or groups: Ms Linda Burney (Federal Member for Barton), Ms Sophie Cotsis (State Member for Canterbury), former Councillors Esta Paschalides-Chilas and Linda Eisler, Mr Richard Colley (Canterbury Bankstown Administrator), Mr Matthew Stewart (Canterbury Bankstown General Manager), Mr Sean Mooney and Ms Lisa Ivicevic (Canterbury Bankstown Urban Planning Leadership team), Mr Dean Russell (NSW Touch General Manager), Mr Ian Holmes (CEO Canterbury & District Soccer Football Association), Mr Michael Bourdoulis (Chairman Canterbury & District Soccer Football Association), Hurlstone Park Wanderers Football Club, Wolli Creek Preservation Society, Cooks River Alliance, Mudcrabs, Mr Chris McGuire and his unofficial group of concerned residents, Undercliffe Public School, the Valley Times newspaper, the Canterbury Express newspaper and last but not least the players, parents and friends of Cooks River Titans Football Club.