Fiona Martin (Reid, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to take this opportunity to update the House on a number of major projects in Reid, some of which the Morrison government committed to in the recent federal election.

I consider myself fortunate to represent a community that loves sport and loves to be active, and I hold these values close to my heart too. It is incredibly important that our local sporting facilities offer residents and families the opportunity to have an active lifestyle, cultivate friendships and connect with the community through sporting organisations.

I recently attended the opening of new facilities at Blair Park in Croydon. The federal government invested $1.3 million in the project, and has worked with Burwood Council and Burwood Football Club to see the project come to fruition. The upgrade has provided new field lighting, a new clubhouse with storage space, a picnic shelter and a playground. Burwood Football Club has not been the only one to benefit from the new facilities. Local schools will be able to use the park to host sporting carnivals and other school sports events. The new upgrades to playground equipment and a purpose-built bocce court have also been well received by local families in the area.

I'm also pleased to report that, in September, work began on a $1.6 million amenities upgrade for Cintra Park Netball Courts in Concord. The federal government has dedicated $1.2 million to the project, which was a key part of the Morrison government's 2019 election commitments to key sporting infrastructure in Reid. To have already broken ground on such a significant project only months after the election speaks to the commitment of our government to deliver for residents of Reid.

The amenities upgrade will include a new canteen, covered spectator areas, change rooms, a medical room and new administration spaces. I am pleased to be working with Canada Bay council and local sporting organisations to see this project through from start to finish. The Inner Western Suburbs Netball Association are thrilled to see the swift progress on the amenities upgrade, as their membership has increased to 3,700 members, from five-year-olds to senior players. This is a big win for women in our area, as the majority of netball players are girls and young women.

Works at Strathfield Park have also commenced, after Strathfield Council received $1 million to update their amenities block. The new upgrade will provide male and female change rooms and toilets, kitchens, serving facilities, meeting rooms, outdoor seating and scoreboards. These new facilities will accommodate the growing number of people using the park recreationally or for sporting games. It has been a pleasure to work with both Strathfield Council and the Strathfield Strikers to deliver these outstanding results. I have visited the club to celebrate the end of their season, and heard from parents how much of a difference these facilities will make to their kids. I can also report that work on a number of other projects in Reid, including at Goddard Park and Timbrell Park, will be commencing soon.

I am passionate about improving our local sporting facilities, because participation in sport strengthens physical and mental wellbeing. These projects will help deliver fit-for-purpose amenities buildings to support the growth of local sporting groups across the electorate. I am particularly pleased that, with these upgrades, for the first time in many of these facilities, girls and women will have access to the same changing rooms and amenities as their fellow male players. It is fantastic that the Morrison government is supporting women's growing participation in sports by ensuring that all local facilities can be accessible and gender inclusive.

I am proud to be part of a government that continually invests in our local communities through sport, and I look forward to seeing these projects roll out across Reid, knowing that their positive impact will be widely felt. I will update the House as projects progress.