![Sandbags sit at the entrance to social rooms, which also house the football-netball club's canteen, during the spring floods of November 2022 which saw John Foord Oval, which sits next to the Murray River, inundated. Sandbags sit at the entrance to social rooms, which also house the football-netball club's canteen, during the spring floods of November 2022 which saw John Foord Oval, which sits next to the Murray River, inundated.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/XJLgPnEdnKaFugZzKyL6Sw/0b4c49b4-8feb-4fe0-8f5f-a8483a2cdf61.jpg/r0_265_5184_3191_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
More than 18 months after flooding closed social rooms at Corowa's John Foord Oval, there is no clear timeframe for when an insurance payout will be made to allow for repairs.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Federation Council, as the site owner, is keenly awaiting the money, as is the Corowa-Rutherglen Football-Netball Club which plays at the ground.
Council general manager Adrian Butler said a re-assessment by the insurance company had delayed the settlement, but it was hoped it was now in its final stages.
He said the amount of cash that would be received was unclear but it was anticipated it would be used to remove mould and asbestos from the social rooms which have been off-limits for use since the flooding.
Club president Graeme Hosier said "it is hard to run a football club without social rooms. not only for us, but also for the juniors and Auskick".
"Our aim is to try and get something up and going for next season," Mr Hosier said.
The club has been hosting events at Club Corowa, which it would otherwise stage at its home ground and generate direct income.
Federation councillors this week gave in-principle support to two motions passed by the John Foord Oval facility committee on June 11.
The first relates to the formation of a working group, by the committee, to investigate re-establishing social facilities and the committee endorsing continued work towards the "long-term vision for the facility".
Mayor Pat Bourke said it was clear if the existing complex was demolished there would be no money to fund a "grand plan" with new buildings, however that did not mean planning for a long-term upgrade should not occur.
Councillor Aaron Nicholls expressed frustration at a lack of detailed design work.
"To get money you need to have a resolved design, whether or not it's for the temporary facility, whether or not it's for the female change room, whether or not it's for the new building, money has to be invested in the design phase to be enable to activate the next phases of any project," Cr Nicholls said.
![Flashback to November 2022 showing the water show which spread across John Foord Oval and into buildings nearby. Flashback to November 2022 showing the water show which spread across John Foord Oval and into buildings nearby.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/XJLgPnEdnKaFugZzKyL6Sw/77b4950a-6592-4bd5-b311-726e42c3eafc.jpg/r0_280_5472_3369_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"I would implore anyone from the committee, from the club, anyone with an interest in this project, money has to be spent on the design process, it can't be a case of ringing a builder and saying 'what can you do?'."
Mr Hosier said "we've got a bit of a design, but not a really good one" and added work was occurring in consultation with regional football administrators.
The club has a $700,000 grant for change rooms for netballers and female footballers that it would like to incorporate in funding a new complex.
Shipping containers are being used for away change rooms.
They were plans to have larger demountable buildings brought from football grounds in Shepparton and western Sydney for 2025 but they will remain due to demand continuing at those sites.