Noosa Council has awarded the contract for the Cooroy Gymnastics Club upgrade and expansion project to Murphy Builders Qld Pty Ltd, with work set to begin in July.
Murphy Builders will finalise the design, build and fit out the extension and a new multipurpose indoor training space to give a range of outdoor sports a place to train during bad weather.
The project forms part of the Cooroy Sports Complex Master Plan, which Council endorsed in 2020 to support growing sports participation across the hinterland and wider Noosa Shire.
"The Cooroy Gymnastics Club is the shire's only competitive gymnastics facility and currently has more than 550 athletes accessing the venue each week, with waiting lists for many programs," Mayor Frank Wilkie said.
"This investment will help the club meet growing demand while creating additional indoor training opportunities for other sporting groups," he said.
Council considered five tenders with an eight-person evaluation panel selecting Murphy Builders as the preferred candidate on criteria such as price, capability and experience.
"Council is confident Murphy Builders has the expertise and experience needed to deliver this important project," the Mayor said.
The extension and new multi-use areas will be built and later integrated into the existing facility to help minimise disruption to the clubs that use the facility.
The upgraded facility will support the gymnastics club's recreational and competitive programs and inclusive activities delivered with local schools, home-school groups and community organisations, including disability service providers.
The new multi-purpose indoor training area will be available to other clubs based at the complex, including cricket, soccer and rugby league.
"These sports often experience interruptions during wet weather or flood events, which can render fields unusable for extended periods," Mayor Wilkie said.
"Council will work closely with clubs and users of the complex to minimise disruption during construction and keep the community informed of key milestones."
The $4.18 million project is funded in partnership with the Queensland Government through the South East Queensland Liveability Fund and the South East Queensland Community Stimulus Program, with additional support from the Australian Cricket Infrastructure Fund, the Cooroy Gymnastics Club through a Federal Government PlayWell Grant, and Noosa Council.
Member for Nicklin Marty Hunt said the partnership between Noosa Council, the Crisafulli Government and the community was key to delivering lasting local infrastructure.
"This is a fantastic investment in local sport and community wellbeing," Mr Hunt said.
"Through projects like this, the Crisafulli Government is backing infrastructure that strengthens community sport and creates more opportunities for people of all ages to stay involved and active."
Cooroy Gymnastics Club President Rachel Smith said the club was excited to see the long-planned expansion gain momentum.
"This expansion will give our gymnasts and other local sporting groups access to a modern, all-weather training space and allow our club to continue growing," Ms Smith said.
State Infrastructure Manager for Queensland Cricket Tom Gibson said the Australian Cricket Infrastructure Fund was proud to support the project.
"Support from national and state sporting bodies helps ensure more young athletes can access high-quality training spaces and community sporting facilities," Mr Gibson said.
For project updates visit Work in Progress.
Mayor Frank Wilkie discusses the Cooroy Gymnastics Club upgrade and expansion project:
Noosa-Mayor-Frank-Wilkie-Cooroy-Gymnastics-Club-expansion.mp3
