Coffs Harbour’s athletics community will enjoy new field event facilities at York Street Oval and space for a grass track available for 12 months of the year, while the Northern Storm Football Club will enjoy change room and storage facilities, in a $1.1 million NSW Government investment to upgrade facilities at York Street Oval.
Nationals Member for Coffs Harbour Gurmesh Singh and Coffs Harbour City Council Mayor Cr Paul Amos said construction began today on providing improved facilities to better cater for local sporting needs.
The new facilities for athletics will increase the provision for local level athletics as a potential site for a Regional Athletics Centre is investigated by Council. The facilities for football will greatly enhance the Northern Storm FC player experience for both training and competition.
“As well as ensuring our local sporting community have the facilities they need, the York Street Oval project will create about 15 jobs in the region during construction,” Mr Singh said.
Mr Singh said this important project will provide much-needed community facilities for our local sporting organisations.
“Council is building a great space for grassroots athletics installing long jump pits with synthetic runways, discus cages, shot put circles and a storage shed,” Mr Singh said.
“The new facilities will be a significant improvement for the athletics community, allowing them to operate 12 months a year from one venue, while fully accessible changerooms will encourage inclusive participation for athletes of all abilities.
“The two new changerooms and storage at the northern end of the oval will benefit the more than 300 members of the football club as well as the 2000 visiting players that participate in the district level competition.”
Cr Amos welcomed the start of construction, saying this is another exciting addition to local sporting facilities.
“Being able to provide these facilities for local athletics at York Street is a good start as we begin investigations for the much more extensive Regional Athletics Centre,” he said.
“It’s great to see both football and athletics benefiting from these improvements. Council is also installing an additional toilet block, while Northern Storm FC are funding a modular canteen.
“I look forward to seeing these facilities at York Street enjoyed by the Coffs Harbour community, and especially the opportunities they will provide our youth to get involved with sport and recreation,” Cr Amos said.
The investment for York Street Oval’s athletics and football facilities is funded under the NSW Government’s $3 billion Infrastructure and Job Acceleration Fund.
