A re-elected ACT Labor Government will create and protect local jobs through a significant plan for new and upgraded local sports facilities across Canberra.
“The ACT has the highest participation in sport and recreation in Australia, and ACT Labor has a strong record of creating local jobs through new and upgraded sporting facilities,” ACT Labor Leader Andrew Barr said.
“Our plan is to continue ensuring every region across Canberra has access to good local sporting facilities so they can participate in a variety of sports.”
If re-elected, ACT Labor will allocate $17 million towards upgrades to existing sportsgrounds around Canberra with additional lights, pavilion upgrades, irrigation upgrades and other amenities.
This will include:
- Lighting and irrigation upgrades at Amaroo District Playing Fields
- Parking enhancements, lighting, facilities and irrigation system improvements at Ngunnawal Neighbourhood Oval
- Major improvements to lighting, facilities and parking at Hawker District Playing Fields
- Amenity upgrades at Holt District Playing Fields
- Lighting upgrades at Mawson District Playing Fields
- Lighting and facilities upgrades at Kambah District Playing Fields
- Amenity upgrades at Greenway Oval
- Lighting upgrades at Watson Neighbourhood Oval
- Amenity upgrades at Kingston Oval
ACT Labor will also undertake major improvements to the Woden Valley Enclosed Oval (known as Phillip Enclosed Oval), including a new pavilion, upgraded grandstand and lights and additional parking with a $7.5 million investment.
Netball is one of the highest participation sports in Canberra, particularly for women and girls.
ACT Labor will invest $7.5 million to re-surface Canberra’s netball facilities, including works to prevent future water damage and cracking of the surface.
“The ACT Labor Government has a strong record of investment in women’s sport. We are committed to removing barriers to participation for women, and a re-elected Labor team will invest $1.5 million to continue upgrading pavilions in line with female friendly guidelines,” ACT Labor Spokesperson for Sport and Recreation Yvette Berry said.
“ACT Labor is also improve the sustainability of public facilities through a trial of new technologies to reduce the amount of water needed to maintain sportsgrounds.”
Alongside sportsground improvements ACT Labor will allocate up to $1.7 million to establish a permanent home for dragon boating, one of the ACT’s largest water-based sports.
The preferred location is in Grevillea Park, where a proposed new facility will provide a boat house, boat store and spectator space.
This significant sports package is in addition to the $8 million committed to construct a new Gungahlin tennis facility, in partnership with Tennis ACT, which aims to include 10-12 full sized courts, hot shots courts, a hitting wall, LED flood lighting, parking and a pavilion.
It also adds to Labor’s $15 million commitment to the first stage of district playing fields in Stromlo, including at least two playing fields, training lights, a pavilion and parking infrastructure.
This program of suburban infrastructure upgrades across the city will help to create and protect local jobs, as part of our plan to grow our employment base to 250,000 local jobs by 2025.