And the wins just keep on coming for our sport following the Socceroos’ monumental victory this morning as sport facilities across NSW will receive major upgrades following the announcement of Round 2 of the NSW Government’s Multi-Sport Community Facility Fund.
Over $100 million was awarded to 39 clubs, associations, sporting organisations and councils across NSW.
Minister for Sport Alister Henskens said the NSW Government has now invested $200 million in new and upgraded community sporting facilities through the first two rounds of the program.
“These projects will not only provide more opportunities for people to play sport, but they will also generate a local sports facility infrastructure boom, creating thousands of jobs and delivering an economic boost for communities across the State,” Mr Henskens said.
Ten venues where football is a key user received over $18 million worth of funding.
Some highlights include North Turramurra Recreation Area (NTRA), home of the Northern Suburbs FA which received $3.6 million. The funding will see the development of a new amenities, undercover seating, and community facility. The building will include five new gender neutral changerooms and multi-purpose spaces which will cater for one of the largest football associations in NSW.
Bankstown District Amateur Football Association received $1.59 million towards the reconstruction of four football fields including drainage and the upgrade of lighting to allow evening competition matches and training The Crest Sporting Complex.
The 2022 winter season was hampered by the deluge of rain that NSW received. This saw many fields across the state unplayable for multiple weeks mostly due to the lack of drainage. Almost half (48%) of the football pitches across NSW don’t have drainage infrastructure. Drainage on four more fields in the Bankstown region is warmly welcomed.
Balmain and District FC the largest club in NSW and Australia received $1,800,000 for the construction and fit out of a new multi-sport clubhouse at Callan Park. The heritage listed building will be adaptively reused as the home clubhouse for Balmain and District FC along with other sporting clubs.
There were almost 3,000 registered winter participants (2,969) at Balmain and District FC in 2022, no doubt after the successful campaign of the Socceroos in Qatar and reaching the Round of 16 the club will surpass 3,000 registered players in 2023.
In regional NSW, Griffith City Council were successful in obtaining $1.15 million for the construction of a new amenity building at Hanwood Oval Sports Complex, home of Hanwood FC. The building will include four new gender neutral changerooms, a referees room and storage.
“Round 2 of the Multi-Sport Community Facility Fund has been successful for football venues across NSW, similar to Round 1 of the fund,” said Football NSW’s Manager – Government Relations, Funding and Infrastructure Daniel Ristic.
“Over the two rounds of the Multi-Sport Community Facility Fund football venues have received over $44 million in funding.”
Footballs encourages the government to continue providing funding of this significance to community infrastructure well into the future, similar to what the “Playing Catch Up” report from Sport NSW highlighted.
Click here to view the list of all successful applicants in Round 2 of the Multi-Sport Community Facility Fund.
Football venues that received funding in Round 2 included:
Recipient | Venue | Funding |
Balmain & District Football Club
|
Callan Park | $1,800,000 |
Bankstown District Amateur Football Association | The Crest Sporting Complex | $1,590,000 |
BBB One | Endeavour Sports HS/5 Sports | $2,793,077 |
Club Marconi Ltd | Club Marconi Field 2 and 3 | $1,370,427 |
Eurobodalla Shire Council
|
Hanging Rock Sporting Complex upgrade | $2,387,400
|
Griffith City Council | Hanwood Oval Sports Complex | $1,150,000
|
Mosman Council | Balmoral Oval | $1,000,000 |
Northern Suburbs FA | North Turramurra Recreation Area | $3,640,243 |
The Hills Sports High School
|
Hills Sports High School | $1,192,000 |
Wollondilly Shire Council | Picton Sportsground Precinct | $1,700,000 |
TOTAL | $18,623,147 |