Tweed Shire Council has received $5 million in federal government funding for the upgrade of Arkinstall Park in Tweed Heads South.
Council will contribute $2.62 million to the project with Tennis Australia contributing $100,000 and the Tweed Netball Association $30,000, bringing the total value of the redevelopment to $7,750,000.
The funding will cover stage one of the proposed $42 million Arkinstall Park Regional Sports Centre project and will include upgrades to the existing tennis and netball facilities as well as new car parking and internal access road construction.
Mayor of Tweed Barry Longland said the upgrade will provide the Tweed community with a valuable resource for local competitions, as well as the ability to host higher-level tournaments.
‘I would first like to thank federal member Justine Elliot for her support in securing this funding and her enthusiastic support for the project which I hope will continue,’ councillor Longland said.
‘This upgrade will include a new playground and picnic facilities, which will ensure the whole community benefits from very early on in the park’s development.’
Arkinstall Park is one of 15 projects across NSW chosen in round two of the federal government’s five-year, $1 billion, Regional Development Australia Fund.
Council’s manager of recreation services Stewart Brawley said stage one of the project will provide a wide range of infrastructure for the planned regional sports facility.
‘Along with the new tennis and netball courts we will be upgrading the tennis and netball clubhouses, improving the lighting on the courts, providing new public amenities and a new recreation area,’ Mr Brawley said.
‘There will also be a new entrance to the park connecting with Kirkwood Road, which will provide direct access to the new Kirkwood Road interchange.
‘When stage two is complete the Arkinstall Park Regional Sports Centre will provide a regional level sports complex with a multi-purpose indoor sports building and a grandstand facility that will be able to host regional sporting competitions and be suitable to host state competitions.’
Construction on the project is expected to begin in late 2012 and will last approximately 12 months.
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