Athletes across the Illawarra region now have access to an international-grade facility following a $1.1 million upgrade to the Illawarra Hockey Centre.
As a recipient of Greater Cities and Regional Sport Facility Fund, the Centre was able to upgrade two synthetic hockey fields and improve the lighting across the facility. The project has provided immediate benefits to the 2,000 athletes who use the Centre with the indoor stadium also used for volleyball games and fields utilised for wet weather football training.
The improvements mean that the facility is once again in the position to host national and international events.
Minister for Sport Steve Kamper said the project shows how quality facilities encourage higher rates of participation, particularly in a region that is known for producing numerous elite hockey players.
"These improvements mean local, grassroots athletes get to play and train in the best quality spaces, and we're attracting the best athletes to come to the Illawarra region and keep that high performance legacy alive," Mr Kamper said.
"It is great to see how the spaces are used across sporting codes so that even more members of the community can enjoy the benefits."
The Minister for Sport got the chance to inspect the upgrades and witness all the action from the Under 18 Boys Field Hockey State Championships during a visit to the Illawarra Centre on Friday.
The Illawarra Hockey Centre was able to complete the $1.1 million project with $813,650 in NSW Government assistance.
More information on the NSW Government's Greater Cities and Regional Sport Facility Fund can be found on the website.
