Budget good news for future of city's sporting codes

Date: Tuesday, 21st July 2009

The City Budget will deliver a big range of new facilities to increase opportunities for grass roots sporting and recreational activities across the community.

Highlights include new clubhouses and playing facilities in the final stage of the Murray Sports Complex redevelopment and construction of the Kalynda Chase Tennis Centre.

Activity at Murray will crank up with major improvements for cricket, AFL, basketball, darts, BMX, horse sports and cycling, rugby league, netball and football.

Council and the State and Commonwealth Governments are contributing to the projects.

The overall Murray redevelopment also includes the multi-sports Townsville International Sports Centre which will also be built in the next 18 months.

Construction is also set to begin this financial year on the Kalynda Chase Tennis Centre which will provide the sport with 10 national standard hard courts.

The $3.14 million project is being jointly funded by Council ($1.05million), Queensland Department of Sport and Recreation ($1.71m) and Tennis Queensland ($376,000) with Urbex Pty Ltd providing the land within Kalynda Chase on the Bohle Plains.

Mayor Cr Les Tyrell said the City Budget would increase and improve sporting and recreational opportunities for local families.

“The budget reinforces Townsville’s position as a regional sporting capital with facilities of a national standard,” Cr Tyrell said.

“Major upgrades of clubhouses and playing facilities will encourage higher number of player registrations from juniors right through to seniors and that will be great news for the future development of sport in the city.”

The Budget also includes:

• $125,000 for the installation of lighting to enable expanded community use of the Lamont Practice Oval at Tony Ireland Stadium
• Townsville Sports Awards
• Sport & Recreation Facility Assistance Program
• Grants for Excellence in Sport
• upgraded aquatics facilities.