Liberals promise $5 million for Max Amber Sportsfield upgrade
Plans to upgrade a northeastern sporting complex have received a significant boost with a $5 million election promise from the Liberals.
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Plans to upgrade a northeastern sporting complex have received a significant boost with a $5 million election promise from the Liberals.
The pledge from Sturt candidate James Stevens comes as Campbelltown Council seeks community feedback on two options costing between $8.8 million and $10.2 million to overhaul Max Amber Sportsfield at Athelstone.
Elected members last month backflipped on an earlier decision not to send the plans out for consultation after being warned by chief executive Paul Di Iulio the project could miss out on election promises for grant funding.
They were taken to the sporting ground on a pre-budget bus tour by Mr Di Iulio so they could be shown ageing facilities for the Athelstone Football Club and Athelstone Tennis Club.
Under the concept plans sent out for consultation, the football club would get new clubrooms, a realigned oval and two multipurpose netball courts while the tennis club would get new clubrooms, resurfaced courts and extra car parking in its existing location.
The Athelstone Soccer Club also would benefit with a new pitch while a large adventure playground for older children would be built near the football club, locally known as the “Raggies”.
I
t is the second time Campbelltown Council has sought community approval for the project, with the first attempt three years being rejected by residents who objected to the cost, relocation of the tennis club and removal of large gum trees.
Concerns also were expressed about the financial viability of the Raggies, which had to borrow money from council to remain operational.
It since has recovered following the appointment by council of financial advisers BRM Holdich, who helped the club restructure its operations.
Mr Di Iulio began discussions about potential funding for the upgrade of Max Amber Sportsfield with former Sturt MP Christopher Pyne before his retirement from politics.
They were continued with Liberal Senator Simon Birmingham and Mr Stevens, a former chief of staff to Premier Steven Marshall who is seeking to replace Mr Pyne.
Mr Stevens said Max Amber Sportsfield was an “important piece of infrastructure for our local community, one which will encourage both male and female participation in sport”.
“I am particularly pleased that with the addition of two new netball courts, Athelstone FC Netball Club will now have a home base, which is something the Raggies have been working so hard to establish,” he said.
Senator Birmingham said the $5 million would come from an additional $40 million for the Community Sport Infrastructure Grant program in the 2019-20 Budget.
“The demand for funding under this program has demonstrated that sporting and community organisations are keen to upgrade their facilities,” he said.
Mr Di Iulio previously obtained a $5 million grant from the program for the $10.5 million redevelopment of the Campbelltown Memorial Oval, which has become the home base for the Rostrevor Old Collegians Football Club and East Torrens District Cricket Club.
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