Kingsley and Greyson Lagerwey with parents Samoa and Dan, along with Geelong Cats Education Coordinator Maddy McMahon, AFL player Shannon Neale and Deakin Cats Community Centre manager Kelly Wainewright. Photo: Brad McGee

Geelong Cats and Deakin University are celebrating a decade of the Deakin Cats Community Centre at GMHBA Stadium.

The centre, which is located on the ground floor of the Players Stand, has become a hub of community activity for the Cats and broader Geelong community, with more than 142,000 visitations since opening its doors in 2013.

Over the past 10 years, more than 3,800 bookings have been made at the centre and 183 community access partners engaged, with the centre’s three function rooms able to be booked free-of-charge for Geelong-based organisations, groups and charities with a health focus.

02:03

Sensory Zone Changing Lives

Join AFLW player Georgie Rankin and Cats fan Grayson as they explain how the Sensory Zone is making coming to the football more accessible at GMHBA Stadium. Presented by Deakin.

The Deakin Cats Community Centre has been home to several Cats Community programs in that time, with past programs Cyber Cats and Just Think running out of the centre, while current programs BioCATS, Welcome to Geelong and the Djilang Program have all taken place there as well.

Geelong’s Past Players and Officials Association meets at the centre every GMHBA Stadium match day, while the Gartland Heritage Centre is housed there as well.

The centre is also home to the Sensory Zone – a dedicated facility for people with sensory processing issues, to empower more people to attend big events, knowing there is a space dedicated to making the experience comfortable for them.

The inclusion of the Sensory Zone in the Deakin Cats Community Centre saw GMHBA Stadium become Australia’s first Sensory Inclusive accredited stadium.

“Community is central to so much of what we do at the Geelong Cats, and we will continue to find ways to open up the club to the community to elevate our offerings,” Geelong Cats Head of Community Will McGregor said.

“Over the past 10 years, we have had more than 140,000 visitations to the centre, which shows what a valuable asset the Deakin Cats Community Centre has been for the broader Geelong community.

“We have been able to run a great number of our community programs out of the centre over the years, and it has also become a hub for health-focussed organisations around Geelong needing a space to meet and host events.

“The Sensory Zone, which opened in the Deakin Cats Community Centre in 2019, has empowered many families to enjoy a day at the football, knowing there are facilities here to support their comfort.”

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BioCATS Fosters Love of Learning

Students and teachers share their experience of the BioCATS program. Proudly presented by Bisinella

Deakin University Executive Director, Equity and Inclusion, Mel Martinelli said the University was proud to support and maintain an environment where people could grow and prosper through access to knowledge and new experiences.

“Being able to support the Geelong Cats to provide such a large, free space for communities to use, and with a health focus being at its core helps bring our organisational value of inclusion to life. The Community Centre is all about being a place where the whole community flourishes and advances through the insights that are gained and shared every day,” Ms Martinelli said.

“Accessibility was prioritised in planning and building of this facility and this is demonstrated through the diversity of the space, with meeting rooms, a kitchen, the Gartland Heritage Centre and, of course, the wonderful Sensory Zone.”