Stanthorpe Netball Association unveils new $150k courts at McGregor Park

Years of planning and hard work have finally paid off for the Stanthorpe Netball Association as massive upgrades to their facility are opened to the community for the first time.

The unveiling of a new sports facility has kickstarted the future of Stanthorpe netball this week, with the $150,000 finished project set to boost participation rates and bring bigger events to the region.

Four new multipurpose courts were officially opened at McGregor Park on Thursday, replaced the previous “unsafe” and unusable courts to finally give the Stanthorpe Netball Association a permanent home.

All courts have been transformed to meet Australian standards, with the project receiving $150,850 from the Federal Government and another $45,000 from the SNA.

Club president Natalie Vedelago told the Border Post when the funding grant was first approved that it was exciting to see the upgrades finally moving ahead after years in the pipeline.

“The previous committee had plotted out the plans about four years ago and then last year we put our heads together to make some progress, and that’s when we finally secured the grant,” she said.

Maranoa MP David Littleproud with Stanthorpe Netball Association president Natalie Vedelago at the former McGregor Park facility.

“It is good for the association to secure more members and give more of a positive approach to playing netball.

“For the wider community, we welcome the schools to use the facilities, and then down the track one of our ideas is to have an inter-district carnival, which brings people into the town and promotes the region.”

Member for Maranoa David Littleproud joined the Stanthorpe netball community for the official opening, saying the new courts were an opportunity for the sport to continue thriving in the region.

“The opening of the new courts is about creating social connections through community sport, increasing youth participation rates, and expanding the social and lifestyle opportunities within the Granite Belt region, but (it) also puts Stanthorpe back in the running to host larger sports carnivals,” he said.

“Whether it’s a netball carnival or a junior rugby league carnival, it means visitor dollars are flowing into the local economy and making local businesses more buoyant.”