The Griffith Regional Sports Centre Come and Try Gala Open Day on Saturday 29 October has been hailed a success, with around 2,000 people turning out to inspect the amazing new facilities and try their hand at different sports.
Many locals took the opportunity to meet Australian Prime Minster, the Hon. Anthony Albanese who declared the Centre “an extraordinary sporting facility”.
“I look at this facility and it as good as any. It will attract state and national events,” he said.
“It’s a great example of community infrastructure that has come from the community up.”
The free event was supported by the Australian Sports Commission’s Regional Sports Event Fund and allowed members of the Griffith community to see the new state-of-the-art centre and try a range of sports including basketball, hockey, wheelchair rugby league, athletics and netball. Those attending also got to meet elite sporting personalities and watch a series of exhibition matches.
Griffith Mayor Doug Curran said, “I look forward to seeing it being utilised by a wide cross-section of the community as well as visitors to Griffith in the near future.”
The redevelopment has seen Westend Stadium, first built in 1979, completely transformed. The main stadium has been refurbished with a new roof and airconditioning, new toilet amenities re-developed and reception into function rooms. A new building has further extended the Centre to now feature an additional five indoor basketball courts, adaptable for netball, indoor hockey, badminton, wheelchair rugby and volleyball.
The Centre now offers seating for over 1,000 people, change rooms, offices, meeting rooms, a canteen and public amenities.
Outside, the new complex boasts seven all weather netball courts under lights and a new grandstand to provide spectator comfort for the outside facilities.
In addition, a synthetic athletics track allows local athletes to train and compete on a compliant and high-performing track and an artificial turf hockey pitch provides a high-quality all-weather surface for players.
The Griffith Regional Sports Centre is part of a wider Sporting Precinct which incorporates several sites around the city including the 50-metre outdoor pool located at the Griffith Regional Aquatic Leisure Centre, catering for regional and state level events and competitions.
The Sporting Precinct Project, is the result of the Australian Government investing funds under the Building Better Regional Fund, the NSW Government’s Regional Sports Infrastructure Fund and Regional Sports Facility Fund and Griffith City Council.
