Football scores $10 million in infrastructure upgrades
Football clubs across Greater Sydney are rejoicing with over ten million in funding received from Round 1 of the Greater Cities Sports Facility Fund.
There were 15 football projects announced ranging from new amenity buildings, synthetic fields, lighting upgrades and field renovations.
The NSW Government has announced a major investment in sports facilities across NSW awarding more than $52 million in grants under the Greater Cities and Regional Sport Facility Fund.
NSW Minister for Sport, Natalie Ward said the projects aimed to improve accessibility, inclusion and participation opportunities for females and people with disability.
Football funding was spread throughout Greater Sydney, from as far south as Fairy Meadow (Illawarra United Stingrays) and west in the Bankstown region (Padstow) and into Sydney’s northwest region (Kenthurst Park).
Sutherland Shire FA benefitted from three successful projects totalling over $1.4 million for amenity upgrades and a major lighting upgrade to Heathcote Oval.
Canterbury District Soccer Football Association clubs scored $2 million in funding with the implementation of the Waterworth Park ($1 million) and a new amenity building at Ewen Park for Hurlstone Park Wanderers FC for one million.
Football NSW CEO Stuart Hodge thanked the NSW Government for its support behind these much-needed infrastructure upgrades.
“The funding from the NSW Government will assist our football clubs in meeting the future demand of the largest sport in Australia and NSW.
“The NSW Football Infrastructure Strategy recognises that football demand is already exceeding facility supply. If action is not taken now to plan infrastructure over the coming decade, then the gap will widen and opportunities to play will be lost.”
The seven venues that received funding for amenity upgrades supports Football NSW’s focus area of increasing and improving gender neutral player and match official change room provision under the Inclusive Football Facilities pillar of the NSW Football Infrastructure Strategy. The amenity upgrades will help improve the current facility situation where only 1 in 5 amenity buildings are gender neutral and female friendly across NSW.
With the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup only two years away, the infrastructure projects funded in Round 1 will provide an enormous benefit for football clubs as they future proof their venue for the increase in female participants over the coming years.
The successfully funded projects will allow players of all abilities, coaches, referees, and volunteers the opportunity enjoy their football experience well into the future.
A full list of successful recipients from the Greater Cities Facility Fund – Round 1 can be found here.
A further $25 million will be made available in Round 2 of the Greater Cities Sports Facility Fund which is expected to open shortly.
If your club or association is looking to apply for funding in Round Two, please contact Daniel Ristic from the Facilities and Advocacy Unit at Football NSW to discuss your project.
Successful football projects in Round 1 of the Greater Cities Sports Facility Fund were as follows:
| Applicant | Association | Project | Funding |
| Bankstown District Amateur Football Association | Bankstown District Amateur Football Association | Construction of a new amenities building at Padstow Park | $868,115 |
| Canterbury-Bankstown Council | Canterbury District Soccer Football Association | Waterworth Park – Masterplan implementation | $1,000,000 |
| City of Ryde | North West Sydney Football | LH Waud – conversion to synthetic turf | $1,000,000 |
| Cronulla Seagulls FC | Sutherland Shire Football Association | Provision of female friendly changerooms, referee and medical facilities at Woolooware Oval | $256,750 |
| Cumberland Council | Granville District Soccer Football Association | Field renovation, floodlight upgrade & installation of new irrigation system for Granville Park Sporting Fields | $1,000,000 |
| Hurlstone Park Wanderers Soccer Football Club | Canterbury District Soccer Football Association | Provision of a new amenities facility at Ewen Park | $1,000,000 |
| Illawarra United Stingrays | Football South Coast | Upgrades to fencing, landscaping and seating of the sportsground at Guest Park | $300,000 |
| Mosman Council | Manly Warringah Football Association | Allan Border Oval – Pavilion and landscaping project | $500,000 |
| North Sydney Council | Northern Suburbs Football Association | Anderson Park Masterplan Implementation: Stage 2 – Sports field relocation and upgrade and new fitness circuit | $782,063 |
| Northern Beaches Council | Manly Warringah Football Association | Cromer 1 – Synthetic field upgrade | $814,442 |
| Pagewood Botany Football Club Inc | Eastern Suburbs Football Association | Upgrade of facilities at Jellicoe Park | $400,000 |
| St John Bosco Youth Club – Football Club | Sutherland Shire Football Association | Upgrade and expansion of the clubhouse at Woronora Heights Oval | $179,091 |
| Sutherland Shire Council | Sutherland Shire Football Association | Sports Lighting Upgrade – Heathcote Oval | $1,000,000 |
| The Hills Shire Council | Hills Football | Upgrade of floodlighting, drainage, irrigation, retaining walls, turfing and fencing at Kenthurst Park | $511,000 |
| Wollondilly Shire Council | Macarthur Football Association | Tahmoor District Sporting Complex – Multi-purpose amenities facility | $1,000,000 |
| TOTAL PROJECTS = 15 | $10,611,461 |
