Disability Sports Australia are pleased to announce a successful application through the NSW Office of Sport’s Centre of Excellence round one grant fund for a new facility to be built in partnership with Blacktown City Council on the Blacktown International Sports Park site in Western Sydney’s Rooty Hill.
The $30.5 million dollar project was led by Disability Sports Australia and Blacktown City Council and supported by several current Paralympic sports including Badminton, Boccia, Fencing, Goalball, Judo, Taekwondo and Volleyball. The project will enable these lower funded sports with disability pathways to work closely with Disability Sports Australia through their Sports Incubator to build capacity, gain participation and develop disability talent on the runway to the 2032 Games.
An important part of this grant was to establish the first of its kind, Disability Sports Centre of Excellent to allow for state, national and international training, and competition to take place. The larger project rebuild of Blacktown International Sports Park will allow for partnership with Western Sydney Health and Australian Catholic University to support high performance pathways.
State Sports Minister, Hon Stuart Ayres said, “This project will inspire the next generation of Paralympic champions right here in NSW and will increase community access to inclusive health, fitness and wellness program.”
Disability Sports Australia CEO, Mr Murray Elbourn said “This is a landmark grant outcome for disability sport in Australia and shows the value that collaboration can bring to the sectors who will be positively impacted by this decision. These seven disability sports can now focus on delivering stronger community pathway programs and enable more Australians with a disability to be more active, more often.”
Blacktown City Council Mayor, Mr Tony Bleasdale said “Our partners are industry leading and will bring together skills and knowledge in education, injury management and rehabilitation, and community health.”
Disability Sports Australia will now work with Blacktown City Council on final design stage before building begins in the coming month.
