Baseball, athletics to benefit from new sports compex at The Ponds

BASEBALL and athletics are at the top of Blacktown Council's agenda in The Ponds with a new facility in the pipeline.

BASEBALL and athletics are at the top of Blacktown Council's agenda in The Ponds.

The council will ask developers Landcom and Australand to dedicate a new large playing field - to be known as Peel Reserve - at the corner of Alkoomie St and Greenview Pde to the two sports.

The new 11.54ha playing field will sit virtually adjacent to the Eastern Playing Fields, across the other side of Second Ponds Creek.

Landcom north western development director Carmen Osbourne said the parks will be linked by walking and bike paths.

"The whole corridor was designed as one so that people can travel between the two reserves," she said.

She said that Landcom had sought advice from the council as to what should be built, and it would be built using compulsory developer contributions.

Papers tabled at the council's Sustainable Living Committee meeting last week said Schofields Baseball Club would be given first option on relocating their operations there from Schofields Public School and Melrose Park, Quakers Hill.

Their rivals Quakers Hill Baseball Club, which has grown to more than 400 members, would then be given permission to expand their operations to Melrose Park as well as keeping its current base at Corbin Reserve.

Council officers noted that baseball was growing in popularity as a 12 month-a-year sport.

The report also indicated that Quakers Hill Little Athletics Centre is also reaching capacity with 448 members.

The council will approach Little Athletics NSW regarding establishing a new club at Peel Reserve.

This would also allow schools to use the athletics facilities for carnivals.

It is expected that the reserve plans will be finalised and approved by April, with work starting in July for the reserve to be ready for the 2013-14 summer sports season.

SPORT GROWTH

According to Blacktown Council:

* Baseball, even in winter, is growing in popularity.

* Two rugby union fields were recently developed at Alwyn Lindfield Reserve, Glenwood.

* A new home for Blacktown Little Athletics Centre is currently being constructed at Cornucopia Reserve, Glenwood.

* AFL membership is stable with capacity to grow at existing nearby venues such as Wright Reserve.

* Rugby league participation continues to be popular with capacity to grow at up-coming venues such as Reserve 811, Kellyville Ridge.

* Soccer participation declined between 2011 and 2012. This decline is considered a one-off with participation forecast to increase steadily with capacity at existing nearby venues such as the Eastern Playing Fields.

DID YOU KNOW

The name Peel Reserve was chosen as it will inhabit land that was once known as Peel's Dairy.