Blacktown’s BEST earns more recognition for its positive impact.
The Blacktown Exercise, Sports and Technology Hub (BEST) delivered by Blacktown City Council, has once again been recognised by the Urban Design Institute of Australia (UDIA).
Already a winner of the 2024 UDIA Design Award, BEST has today been presented the UDIA NSW & Urban Property Group President’s Award.
With the support of Council, and led by Council’s City Architect, Bill Tsakalos, BEST was designed by ARM Architecture, constructed by Buildcorp, with Architectus designing the landscape and physical literacy area.
BEST in the Blacktown International Sports Park has been designed and totally funded by Blacktown City Council. Blacktown City Council has made a $100-million investment in the health and future of the communities of Blacktown City and Western Sydney.
Council’s collaborative partners include the Australian Catholic University (ACU), Sydney West Sports Medicine, AFL, and WentWest. These partners in higher education, health, sports medicine, research, and high-performance sport share a common purpose of driving positive health and sporting outcomes for the community.
BEST is a significant part of the Council’s long-term vision for the City and transformational plans for Blacktown City’s future.
BEST provides state-of-the-art facilities for training, sports medicine, rehabilitation, research and education as well as providing accommodation, a large café-restaurant and an innovative fun play space for kids of all ages and abilities.
BEST serves as a vibrant community hub supporting local and national teams and community groups. BEST serves the community, while playing a key role in developing the next generation of sporting talent.
Enthusiastic users of the facilities at BEST in the Blacktown International Sports Park include local community and school sports teams, the Matildas and the Wallaroos, Perth Glory A-League Football Club, Prospect United Soccer Club ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Premier League, Shooting Australia, the Young Socceroos, Football Australia, the NSW Institute of Sport Para Sport programs, Softball Australia and the Aussie Spirit ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ team, Aussie Spirit and Chinese Taipei ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Softball Team training camps, the Korean Doosan Bears, the A League Western Sydney Wanderers, I’MPossible all abilities training program and many families of western Sydney who visit BEST’s physical literacy playground.
The Blacktown International Sports Park, home of BEST began life as a Sydney Olympics training and competition venue but has been reimagined from “grass” roots up. It’s now an ‘open-to-all’ park, connected by new pathways, bridges and bikeways to adjacent communities, rail and the Western Sydney Parklands.
Blacktown City is on a journey, rapidly transforming into a modern and exciting place to live, work, study, play and thrive.
This recognition by the President of the Urban Design Institute of Australia affirms Blacktown City Council’s commitment to delivering major infrastructure projects that will transform Blacktown City through the creation of public spaces that not only meet the needs of our residents but also provide a more liveable, sustainable, and enjoyable urban environment.
