Inner west netballers get upgrade by April 2020

Cintra Park at Concord is getting a $1.6 million facelift to support the growth of netball in the inner west.

Artist impressions for new netball facilities at Cintra Park in Concord.

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The new $1.6 million Cintra Park netball upgrade will be ready for the 2020 netball season.

Construction at the Concord site is set to start in September and the park will be reopened in April next year.

Netball participation is growing in the inner west and Cintra Park is the home ground of the Inner West Suburbs Netball Association’s 3500 members.

With 16 registered clubs, they are not the only group who use the netball courts and facilities.

President Leanne Blackmore said membership had grown by 27 per cent in the last five years.

“Projected participation in 2019 is 3700 members,” she said.

Plans for new netball facilities at Cintra Park in Concord.

The upgrade will include a fit-for-purpose amenities building, an outdoor barbecue space, a new canteen, covered spectator areas, change rooms and showering facilities, a medical room, and store rooms.

“The facilities are 10 years old, and not fit for purpose,” Ms Blackmore said.

“Our aim is to provide … fit-for-purpose facilities to accommodate the growth.”

“Currently our meeting room is way too small … We run training programs for coaches and umpires, or clinics. If 100 people sign up and it rains, we have no way to fit inside.

“So this means we will have the space we need.”

Existing building at Cintra Park, concord. Picture: Ben William Photography

Plan for new fit-for-purpose netball facilities at Cintra Park in Concord, to commence construction in September.

Ms Blackmore said this development was all about building the netball community for the future. Netballers in the Inner West association range from five to 74 years old.

“A lot of us have been around for 30 plus years. We started as players, we were juniors who have come through. Our children players, some of our grandchildren are playing,” she said.

“Our canteen will be bigger and our BBQ area, which our club uses as a source of fundraising.”

The upgrade does not address the 24 hard netball courts at Cintra Park.

Twenty-four netball courts at Cintra Park, Concord. Picture: Ben William Photography

“For the future we possibly need more hard courts to qualify to run the state cup competition for NSW. It’s all about growth too … it’s not a short term plan,” Ms Blackmore said.

City of Canada Bay Mayor Angelo Tsirekas said: “This upgrade has come at a perfect time for our local netball community. The Inner Western Suburbs Netball Association has grown significantly in the last few years, and we are proud to be supporting such an important sport.”

The City of Canada Bay will contribute $400,000 to the project. $1.2 million funding comes from the Federal Government as part of the Community Development Grants program.

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