Community facilities to be unlocked for football in The Hills
Just a week out from the NSW election, there’s great news for the football community in The Hills District, with Baulkham Hills State Liberal MP David Elliott promising to unlock State-owned community facilities to ensure the growth of football can be catered for.
Elliott and Liberal candidate for Seven Hills Mark Taylor met up with Football NSW’s Ricardo Piccioni to show off their football skills and discuss FNSW’s new report into the economic, health and social benefits grassroots football brings to the community.
The report identifies football as being by far the most popular sport in NSW, growing faster than any other football code, but a lack of facilities funding is seriously hampering its current and future potential. Expert independent analysis shows that the total economic contribution of grassroots football in the state is over $417 million annually, and a further $200 million in benefits to the community would accrue if the facilities issues were addressed.
Mr Elliott said he would be working closely with FNSW to ensure community facilities were unlocked for use by football across the Hills District. Mr Taylor noted that where community ovals were owned by the NSW Government, those ovals could attract income for upgraded facilities.
The meeting took place at Max Ruddock Reserve, home of Winston Hills Soccer Club, a venue graced in the past by former goalkeeper Taylor, who has many happy memories of the ground. FNSW is happy to put Taylor and budding centre forward Elliott in touch with any club in The Hills District looking for ‘experienced’ players ahead of the start of the new season.
