Parramatta Eels: Kellyville Park mega revamp revealed
Parramatta Eels’ stunning $40 million Centre of Excellence is a step closer to reality after fresh documents were submitted. And the papers reveal it is not only the NRL club set to benefit.
Hills Shire
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The Parramatta Eels are one step closer to building a stunning $40m new HQ.
Development plans were recently lodged with the NSW Planning Department for a Centre of Excellence and Community Sports Hub that would cover the entire 34,689 sqm site Kellyville Park currently occupies.
The proposed location marks a 13 kilometre move northward from The Eels’ Parramatta heartland and is part of the Hills Shire Council’s 2019 vision to transform “Kellyville Park (into) the premier sports facility in the Hills Shire for rugby league”.
The Federal Government has already committed $15 million in funding, with the remaining funds expected to come from State Government grants, council funds and the Parramatta Eels club itself.
Kellyville Park is currently used for community sport — it is home to a range of local clubs including the Kellyville Bushrangers, Polecats Rugby League, Renegades Rugby Union and Kellyville Kolts Baseball.
James Power, Secretary of the Kellyville Bushrangers, the longest serving rugby league tenants at Kellyville Park, said he is thrilled about the prospect of Kellyville Park’s transformation and said his club is already benefiting from The Eels’ development plans.
“We’ve been operating out of a shipping container and portable building for over 20 years, and, only a few years ago, we were worried the Bushrangers might be pushed out with the rise of local soccer teams,” he said.
“For many years, we were in talks with council about upgrading our facilities.
“When The Eels became involved that had a major impact on the project moving forward and the scale of what we might be able to achieve.”
Mr Power said what thrills him the most is the rise in enthusiasm for rugby league, particularly in the girls teams.
“Our kids will be able to train next to their heroes, people they can look up to and aspire to.
“This is really important for the girls we have in our development program as now, with the Eels NRLW team, they can see that there is an end game and professional opportunities.”
Scott Mitchell, president of the Renegades, said his club has been in close contact with the Eels throughout the planning process.
“We’re blessed with having fantastic fields but I know that if the upgrade to Kellyville Park goes through, some of the facilities that will be available to us will really be top class,” he stated.
“We love being here and having the support of the Eels — I know this development will 100% be a positive, not just for us, but for the whole Hills community.”
However, The Kellyville Kolts secretary, Kate Redman, said she hasn’t received any direct assurances about whether the development will benefit her non-profit baseball club.
“Our field has been here for over 35 years, and it could really use an upgrade,” she said.
“I hope that having the Eels here will mean that it’s not just the local rugby clubs who feel the positive effects of their presence — we’re also in need of help.”
In a statement, Joshua Drayton, the General Manager of Corporate Affairs for the Parramatta Eels, said all local community sports groups will benefit from this proposed development.
“All five rugby fields have already been upgraded with new drainage and turf, and the benefits of this are already being felt by the local community,” he said.
“But other local community sports groups, such as the Kellyville Kolts, will also benefit from the proposed addition of a new car park, improved access from the Memorial Ave entrance, and also from the fact that this will be a much more community-centric facility.”
Documents recently submitted to the NSW Planning Department further stress that the multimillion-dollar revamp will not undermine the community oriented nature of Kellyville Park — noting that The Eels are “committed to fostering the talent of Western Sydney”.
“Kellyville Park will be the home for all ages and abilities — from grassroots to elite sport,” these documents state.
“The state-of-the-art facilities will enable junior, senior and elite sportsmen and women to regularly use these facilities and increase capacity.”
As previously reported, plans first revealed in July 2021, propose the addition of five playing fields and outline two major components to Kellyville Park’s transformation.
The first — a high-performance Centre of Excellence — would feature an elite level gymnasium, medical facilities, a yoga room, aquatic recovery pools, a lecture theatre, administration offices for the Parramatta Eels, and new female facilities, including a female change room and showers.
The second major component is the community sports hub.
This component would include a new grandstand (seating approximately 1,500 people), additional spectator mounding, unisex and referee changerooms, a medical room, a community gymnasium, a new cafe and a community education room.
The developers will need to complete an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and place the development plans on exhibition before it can be determined by the NSW Planning Department.
If approved, construction is anticipated to begin in October of this year and reach completion by the end of 2024.
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