Ball rolling on Hunter football hub
Date Posted: 30 August 2012
In what could be the greatest ever boost to football in the north of NSW, Northern NSW Football and Lake Macquarie City Council have announced a joint bid to construct the region's first state-of-the-art football facility.
The proposed $11 million facility would be built on the existing under-utilised football facility at Speers Point Park, in Speers Point, Lake Macquarie.
The revitalised site would feature multiple five-a-side synthetic football courts, two full-size synthetic football pitches, as well as a multi-purpose administration building, training facilities and car parking for more than 100 vehicles, all on a centrally-located site close to transport links.
The proposed project has the backing of Hunter Region MPs, the Region's national sporting teams, the Newcastle Jets and Newcastle Knights, Northern NSW Football's member zones, and associated clubs, schools and sports groups.
Northern NSW Football has committed up to $4 million to the project and Lake Macquarie City Council has lodged a claim for a $7.3 million funding grant from the NSW Government, under the Hunter Infrastructure and Investment Fund.
The Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport has contributed $140,000 for a Feasibility Study on the project, under its Community Infrastructure Grants Program.
If the NSW Liberals and Nationals Government approves the funding grant, Council and Northern NSW Football could begin construction by April 2014.
Northern NSW Football CEO, David Eland, said: "We are incredibly excited – this project provides the single greatest catalyst for our sport's growth and professional development in Northern NSW Football history."
"It will provide a much-needed hub for our stakeholders from across the Region for activities including football training, coaching and referee accreditation – but the scope of the facility goes well beyond our members.
"The planning for the facility took into account an immediate catchment of a 10km radius around the facility, which incorporates five State Government electorates – Swansea, Newcastle, Wallsend, Charlestown and Lake Macquarie.
"Football is the largest team sport in our Region with over 21,500 registered players but, in addition to this, the facility will cater for the wider community, with access for schools and other groups.
"The facility will provide the best in playing surfaces as well as five-a-side courts to encourage full community participation. The courts will also be a revenue source, allowing us to inject increased funding into grassroots football."
The proposal is consistent with Government Policy, in particular the NSW Government's State Plan and Objectives, with an emphasis on the ability to attract significant tournaments and events to the Region.
Lake Macquarie City Council's Acting Manager Community Planning, Stephen McAlister, said: "Football is the most popular team sport in Lake Macquarie and has a strong participation and supporter base in the City and across the Region."
"We are very supportive of this plan to build state-of-the-art facilities to develop the sport even further by increasing the community's access to an under-utilised facility."