WestInvest a facility game changer in Western Sydney

Staff Writer
WestInvest
Image credit: Football NSW

Clubs in Western Sydney are reaping a facility transformation thanks to the NSW Government’s $5 billion WestInvest program.

Facilities, as well as communities, will receive improved and more easy-to-use resources that form a transformational infrastructure project as a whole.

In total, over $333 million is being invested into facilities where football is or will be a key user of the facility.

Among the clubs to see positive change are Nepean, Southern Districts, Macarthur, Hills, and Canterbury.

The projects go towards upgrading amenity buildings to ensure changerooms are female friendly, natural turf field refurbishments, new indoor multi-sport indoor centres for the Futsal community, synthetic fields, and completely new venues.

Football NSW CEO John Tsatsimas said via press release:

“Investment into infrastructure is critical for the largest team-based sport in NSW.

“Only 25% of football changerooms across NSW are female friendly, this injection of funding will help increase this percentage.

“Football demand is already exceeding facility supply, the funding from WestInvest will ensure boys and girls across Western Sydney won’t miss out on playing football.

“We’d like to thank the NSW State Government for their continued support.”

Full details of projects per council are listed below:

Blue Mountains

  • $1.6 million for Blue Mountains City Council to deliver the $1.8 million upgrade of South Lawson Park which will convert a former golf course into a new district level park.

Burwood

  • $2.7 million for the Henley Park Sports Field Upgrade which will revitalise two aged sports fields to improve sport and recreational facilities

Campbelltown

  • $16.7 million for Campbelltown City Council to deliver the Sport and Health Centre of Excellence at Leumeah, in partnership with Western Sydney University, the Macarthur Bulls, Wests Tigers and the South-West Sydney Academy of Sport;
  • $2.8 million for Campbelltown City Council to deliver the Amenities Upgrade Eschol Park Sporting Complex

Camden

  • $21.3 million to deliver the Scalabrini East – Pat Konista Active Open Space and Community Facilities. This project will deliver essential sports, community, green and open space infrastructure in Leppington;
  • $14 million for the Cut Hill Reserve Sports Field Redevelopment project that will renew 18.5 hectares of public open space to deliver new recreation opportunities.

Cumberland

  • $53.7 million for Cumberland Council to deliver the New Hyland Road Sporting Complex into a precinct for indoor and outdoor sport including netball, AFL, football, cricket, baseball, rugby league, rugby union, cricket, basketball, volleyball and badminton;

Fairfield

  • $6.3 million for Fairfield City Council to deliver the $6.5 million Brenan Park project which will deliver more spaces for sports and adventure play for all ages.
  • more than $28 million in WestInvest funding will go towards the $46.5 million Fairfield Showground Stage 2 – Indoor Sports Centre.
  • $16 million for Fairfield City Council to upgrade the Endeavour Sports Park with a new synthetic field, sized for two soccer pitches, an AFL or a cricket pitch;

Hawkesbury

  • $9.8 million for the Hawkesbury City Council to deliver the Tamplin Field Redevelopment project which will include a new synthetic field with off-field grassed spaces to enable games and events through all weather conditions.
  • $4.6 million towards the $9.87 million Fernadell Park and Community Facility development project to deliver new sporting facilities to encourage women and young people to get active.

Hills

  • $1 million for the Hills Shire Council to deliver the Fred Caterson Reserve – Fields 1, 2 & 3 Upgrade and Refurbishment project in Castle Hill

Parramatta

  • $3.8 million for the Max Ruddock Reserve Amenities Modernisation with viewing platform project to upgrade a 50-year-old building to support growth in local sport.
  • $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.
  • $8.7 million for the City of Parramatta Council to deliver the Strengthening the Heart of Play project in North Parramatta

Penrith

  • $106.7 million for Penrith City Council to deliver the Indoor Multi Sports Facility project in Claremont Meadows.
  • $19.1 million for Penrith City Council to deliver the Cook Park Precinct Sport, Play, Grandstand & Mixed Recreation project in St Marys. The project will include a new amenities building, extended grandstand with spectator viewing facilities, a new synthetic playing surface, a walking circuit with pedestrian lighting, tree planting and landscaping.
  • $1.7 million for Penrith City Council to deliver the Andromeda Oval Storage, Sports Surface & Carpark Improvements project which will upgrade storage amenities at the existing facility, improved drainage and surface work to the eastern playing fields, upgrade to the existing multisport surfaces for netball and basketball and an extension to the existing car park.
  • $7 million towards the $41 million Gipps Street Recreation Precinct project to transform a 32-hectare former landfill site in Claremont Meadows into a multipurpose open space facility for the community.

Wollondilly

  • $5.2 million for Wollondilly Shire Council to upgrade the Waterboard Oval in Warragamba with new and improved facilities to accommodate soccer, cricket, AFL and various court sports.
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Melbourne Victory’s brand-new infrastructure strategy

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Melbourne Victory & SEDA
Image Credit: Melbourne Victory website

A-League giant Melbourne Victory has revealed a brand-new extensive infrastructure strategy to foster and support tomorrow’s footballing stars.

The strategic infrastructure plan set out by Victory will aim to develop youth and women’s football programs by providing improved access to world class footballing facilities and player pathways across Victoria.

To achieve this, Melbourne Victory has opted for a campus model to enable players access to connected and consistent facilities across the North, East, South and West of Melbourne, all within an hour’s journey of Victory’s club administrative centre and the A-League Men’s training facilities at Gosch’s Paddock.

The club also intends to build another campus within the Melbourne city centre, with the first campus location to be announced by the club soon, as it continues to review and assess possible sites across the city.

Melbourne Victory Chairman, John Dovaston, explained why the club had chosen the campus model.

“The announcement of this project, and the direction taken, is aimed at ensuring we are best placed to attract and retain football talent across the State,” he said in a press release.

“Our innovative approach will allow us to have a number of campuses with not only an elite focus, but also, an eye on building our community to ensure that all Victorians have an opportunity to participate and engage in our game.”

Melbourne Victory Managing Director, Caroline Carnegie, outlined why the new infrastructure strategy was so important to the club.

“It is well understood that sport and football can influence social cohesion, and it’s our responsibility as a Club to establish infrastructure and programs that can positively impact members of the community, regardless of gender, background or location, whether that be through training the next generation of football stars, or using football as a vehicle to lead, unite, connect and inspire the community more broadly,” she said via press release.

“By enabling Victory to connect with communities across the North, South, East, and West of AAMI Park, our spiritual home, we can truly grow the Victory family and set new standards for elite facilities in our Pathway and community programs.”

The infrastructure project is an important move for the club, allowing it to grow, improve and future-proof its current suite of footballing programs. Currently, Victory operates nine elite and 23 pathway programs, providing services to over 16,000 participants across Victoria. Through the campus model, the club hopes it will be able to more efficiently develop the new generation of A-League and national team players.

“The priority is to provide not just an entry point for individuals to engage and participate in football, but to keep them engaged and provide a holistic journey to grow the Victory family across the State,” Carnegie continued.

“We are excited about the opportunities that the project can provide and the potential for growth for our Club and for football in the future.”

Melbourne Victory will continue to issue updates as it sets on the 5-year-plus journey to complete the entire project. For more information on the club’s major infrastructure strategy, access the plan HERE.

 

WA Community Use of School Sporting Facilities grants open

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Soccer youths

The first round of the WA Community Use of School Sporting Facilities Program grants is now open for applications until March 21.

The program is an initiative from the West Australian government aimed to inspire partnerships between schools and community sporting groups to more effectively use sporting facilities and foster a greater sense of community.

Developed in collaboration with the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries (DLGSC), and the Department of Education (DoE), the program strives to:

  • improve access to sporting facilities for community sporting groups
  • improve school sports facilities
  • assist schools in developing their facilities for outside hours use without damaging student safety
  • encourage partnerships between schools and community sporting groups

Grants Eligibility 

Program funding is only available to WA public primary or secondary schools, which have partnered with at least one community sporting group under a DoE Community Use Agreement.

Schools applying for funding must prove they need monetary support to develop facilities and assist community sporting groups to use facilities. Additionally, they need an Eligibility Declaration from their partnered sporting grouping to confirm it will regularly access the facilities.

The partnered community sporting group must also meet a range of eligibility requirements:

  • It must be incorporated under the Associations Incorporations Act 2015 (WA),
  • Or it must be an Indigenous organisation under the Corporations (Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 (Cth)
  • Or it must be a company limited by guarantee under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth)
  • It must participate in a classified sport under the DLGSC
  • It must be registered under a DLGSC recognised state sport association (SSA)
  • It must enter teams into a local sport program or DLGSC SSA affiliated competition
  • It must have an Australian Business Number (ABN)
  • It must comply with the Working with Children (Screening) Act 2004
  • It must maintain insurance to cover the DoE CUA

Grants Funding Parameters 

There is up to $50,000 worth of funding available for successful applicants across four different types of one-off investments:

Minor Equipment or Infrastructure

This includes funding for small scale items such goalposts, equipment storage or other minor items or infrastructure.

Minor Playing Surface or Upgrade of Oval or Hardcourts

This includes funding for minor improvements to sports fields and courts, such as:

  1. Resurfacing
  2. Marking
  3. Reticulation
  4. Returfing
  5. Grass oval rejuvenation works

Minor Improvements to Existing Surfaces 

This includes funding for small scale improvements that make sporting facilities safer for outside use, such as locks, cameras, gates, and lights.

Other Relevant Activities That Enhance Facilities Use

This includes funding for activities that would increase the use of sporting facilities, such as for one off payments for staff and equipment.

How to Apply for Grants

Applications for the program can be completed online on the DLGSC website.

Before applying make sure to read the guidelines and have the necessary documentation ready.

Documents you will need are:

  • Signed Community Use Agreement (or letter of intent to enter at CUA)
  • Community Sport Group Eligibility Declaration
  • Quotes, photos, files and documents to use as evidence to support your claim

Applications for the first round of funding must be completed and submitted before March 21 5.00 pm 2025. If you miss out on this round or are unsuccessful, there are two more rounds of grants occurring later in the year.

The second round of applications will open March 24 9.00 pm and close May 16 5.00 pm 2025. While the third round of applications will open May 19 9.00 pm and close July 4 5.00 pm 2025.

 

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