Coalition pledges $10m towards Gymnastics SA’s $32.4m arena plan for Adelaide Showgrounds

With key SA seats on a knife’s edge, the Coalition has promised to chip in $10m towards a much-needed gymnastics arena – but will it be enough?

Adelaide’s “woefully sized” gymnastics centre, which isn’t even safe for kids, would replaced with a new 3000-seat arena at the showgrounds under a plan backed by the Coalition.

Finance Minister Simon Birmingham promised to chip in $10m towards Gymnastics SA’s $32.4m vision to build a new “Centre for Movement” at the Adelaide Showgrounds if re-elected on May 21.

In a business case written in January, Gymnastics SA says its current facility at the Marion Leisure & Fitness Centre in Morphettville is outdated, “woefully” small, and even unsafe for children.

The Coalition has promised to spend $10m to help establish a new Gymnastics SA centre at Morphettville. Boothby candidate Rachel Swift and Sturt MP James Stevens with gymnast kids and Gymnastics SA CEO Nastashia Buck (right). Picture: Keryn Stevens

The not-for-profit body was forced to spend $70,000 hiring the Titanium Security Arena to host just two standard state events last year, because its Morphettville gym was unable to keep up with the sport’s soaring popularity.

Gymnastics SA boss Nastashia Buck said the ”phenomenal” funding would stop South Australians getting “left behind” with “substandard facilities”.

“Last year alone we had to turn away 1700 children from participating as our facility could not meet the demand,” Ms Buck said.

The new centre would be built to accommodate an expected 2400 new members and 69,500 casual gymnasts a year. It would have 1800 permanent seats for spectators, with the ability to increase it to 3000 for large events, a cafe and modern change rooms.

Gymnastics SA’s plans for a new Centre for Movement at the Adelaide Showgrounds.

What the centre would look like on the inside.

“There are more than 30,000 young gymnasts in SA, pursuing a healthy start in life who need competition facilities that are fit for purpose,” Senator Birmingham said.

Boothby candidate Rachel Swift spruiked the announcement at Morphettville on Saturday.

“I know personally how much gymnastics has changed the lives of so many and I want that opportunity for young South Australians into the future,” Dr Swift said.

Eager for a boost to his knife-edge campaign in the eastern suburbs, Sturt MP James Stevens joined Dr Swift for the funding announcement.

“Families from gym clubs across Adelaide have put up with sub-optimal competition facilities for too long, which this commitment will fix,” Mr Stevens said.

Originally published as Coalition pledges $10m towards Gymnastics SA’s $32.4m arena plan for Adelaide Showgrounds