Council gets ball rolling
TWEED Shire Council will move quickly to start the Arkinstall Park upgrade after it received $5 million from the Federal Government this week.
Councillor Warren Polglase was critical of the Federal Government last year when the upgrade was not funded in the first round of the Regional Development Australia Fund.
"I have always been striving to get the funding," Cr Polglase said.
"We have over 1000 netballers using those facilities.
"We at the council are prepared to get away quite quickly now."
He said the announcement showed what happened when the community came together to get a result.
The Arkinstall Park Regional Sports Centre project will bring the centre up to world standard, with the Federal Government's $5 million contributing to the $9.98 million first stage of the redevelopment.
The project will include a high performance tennis centre with additional courts, upgraded clubhouse facilities and a regional netball facility with improved court surfaces and lighting.
Richmond MP Justine Elliot said at the announcement that it was a fantastic project.
"It will make a huge difference to local sports facilities," Mrs Elliot said.
"But what it also means, what is really important for our area, is the regional benefit. Just across the border we have the Commonwealth Games in 2018 so how great we may have international teams training here in the Tweed at our world-class facilities.
"But first and foremost it is here for the local community."
Tweed Netball Association president Helen Rigney said the park is the home ground for 779 netball members.
