Announced on Tuesday by Member for Murray Austin Evans, the funding from the Regional Sports Infrastructure Fund will go towards the “first class” $24.8 million sporting precinct project.

This project will see the construction of a first-class, multi-purpose regional sports complex, catering for a variety of sports.

It will include seven indoor basketball courts with seating for over 1000 people, seven weather netball courts, a new synthetic athletics track with new lighting, a new synthetic turf hockey pitch and a new grandstand.

The project will also see a 50-metre pool to complement the existing facilities at the Griffith Regional Aquatic Leisure Centre.

Sports Council President Laurie Testoni was great to see all the hard work for everyone involved pay off.

“It’s the chance of a lifetime, and we have it, it’s very good news for the youth of the future,” Mr Testoni said.

“It has been a massive joint cooperation with the council, sports council and community groups, and I don't think people understand all the work that went in to it - 18 months of lobbying, compiling statistics and figures, involving the local and state groups, it was massive involvement from a lot of organisations.”

Griffith Mayor John Dal Broi said this is “fantastic news” for the city and the region as a whole.

“I am pleased that our local state member Austin Evans and the state Government have acknowledged Griffith as a thriving centre with a genuine need for improved sporting facilities,” Cr Dal Broi said.

With a $10 million commitment from council, and now a further $10 million from the state government, only $4.8 million remains to be secured.

General manager Brett Stonestreet said,  at Tuesday’s general council meeting, “doors were open” to secure funding from other organisations.

Cr Dal Broi said the next steps will involve discussion with NSW Office of Sport regarding the Funding Agreement, as well as initiating further discussion with other potential partners including NSW Department of Education and PCYC NSW.

Mr Testoni said everything “should fall in to line” after this announcement.

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“With the major grant through, everything comes in to play and makes decision making easier for others to put towards the project,” Mr Testoni said.

Cr Dal Broi also said there will now be further community consultation, particularly with specific sporting user groups into progressing towards the final design of these facilities.

“I wish to thank Councillors, staff, sporting groups and the broader community for supporting this wonderful project,” Cr Dal Broi.

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