From grassroots junior sports teams to elite athletes, residents across North West and Western Sydney will benefit from a huge boost in funding for sports facilities, thanks to the NSW Government's $5 billion WestInvest program.
Premier Dominic Perrottet, Treasurer Matt Kean and Minister for Sport Alister Henskens today announced more than $316.7 million in funding for local councils and community groups in the Blacktown, Blue Mountains, Parramatta, Cumberland, Fairfield, Hawkesbury, Strathfield and The Hills LGAs to deliver 15 new and upgraded sports facilities across Western Sydney.
The projects funded under the $1.6 billion WestInvest Community Project Grants - Competitive Round, range from new indoor and outdoor sports courts for basketball, netball and tennis, to upgrades to community ovals to support football and cricket, to skate parks and new pools.
The projects include:
- $53.7 million for Cumberland Council to transform an underutilised site at Greystanes into a precinct for indoor and outdoor sport including netball, AFL, football, cricket, baseball, rugby league, rugby union, cricket, basketball, volleyball and badminton
- $16 million for Fairfield City Council to upgrade the Endeavour Sports Park with a new synthetic field, sized for 2 soccer pitches, an AFL or a cricket pitch
- $9.8 million for Hawkesbury City Council for the Tamplin Field redevelopment project for a new synthetic field to enable games, training and events in all weather
- $5.6 million for the City of Parramatta Council to deliver the North Granville Community Open Space Upgrade project which will upgrade FS Garside Park and construct a natural turf football field and install new sports field lighting, seating and a regional-sized playground
- $3.5 million for the Blue Mountains Council to transform the Pitt Park Athletics oval into a dedicated state-of-the-art athletics sporting precinct
- $1 million for The Hills Shire Council to transform Fred Caterson Reserve in Castle Hill to support a range of indoor and outdoor sports
- more than $573,000 for the Strathfield Municipal Council to deliver the Upgrade to Cooke Park Skatepark project to provide state-of-the-art facilities to young skaters.
Premier Dominic Perrottet said a sporting club is the heart and soul of a local community and WestInvest is enabling communities in North West and Western Sydney to grow, exercise and thrive.
"From the Pitt Park athletics complex in the Blue Mountains, Fred Caterson Reserve in The Hills to Tamplin Field in Hawkesbury, local communities across will benefit from a huge variety of sporting facilities funded by WestInvest," Mr Perrottet said.
"Through the WestInvest fund we are laying the foundations to support the next Harry Kewell, Pat Cummins, Alana Kennedy, Ian Thorpe and Paige Hadley."
Treasurer Matt Kean said WestInvest will deliver world-class facilities to support all sports ranging from junior level to the professionals to people who want to get more exercise and kick a ball around.
"This type of community infrastructure is critical for our future sporting stars to thrive from the day they step on to the sporting field. Athletes in Western Sydney deserve the best facilities to compete and perform so they can strive for greatness," Mr Kean said.
"These facilities range in size and scale and cater to just about every sport from basketball, netball and volleyball to badminton and roller sports."
Minister for Sport Alister Henskens said the WestInvest funding was another example of the NSW Liberal and Nationals Government's strong track record of investment in community sport facilities.
"From grassroots sport through to the elite, these investments will turbocharge sport participation in Western Sydney, providing quality local facilities for players of all ages and abilities," Mr Henskens said.
"It builds on the enormous amount of work we've done to invest in community sport infrastructure across our state."
To find out more, visit the WestInvest website.
