Community & Business
24 April, 2024
Sporting clubs benefit from big funding
TWO Mareeba sports club will share in nearly $4 million in funding that has been awarded to a number of sporting clubs in the Cook electorate.
The Mareeba Tennis Club and Mareeba United Football Club were just two of the 10 sporting groups in the Cook electorate to receive the significant funding, with $250,000 going towards new courts at the tennis club and $266,050 going towards new change rooms at the soccer club.
The two existing change rooms at the soccer club are set to be upgraded and two new ones are scheduled to be built, with club treasurer Giulie Alderton welcoming the contribution to the $350,000 project.
The changerooms have not received an upgrade in over 20 years, and with the club continuing to expand, Ms Alderton said now was the perfect time to receive the grant.
“Since we have expanded to three fields, it has been hard to utilise just two dressing room, so by refurbishing the existing ones and building two more, we can accommodate all the fields,” she said.
“At the moment, the showers we have now, no one really wants to use them after the game because you don’t have your own cubicle, so it’s either a 40-minute wait to use it privately or people tend to go home.
“When people go home for a shower, they usually don’t want to come back to the club either, so upgrading them will help people continue supporting the club.”
Construction is set to begin after the 2024 soccer season, weather dependent.
For the Mareeba Tennis Club, the funding will contribute towards the construction of six new courts, with the current courts at the end of their life and currently causing safety issues.
Stage 1 of the project, which involves removing native grass between and at the ends of each court and levelling the playing surface, is forecast to cost $600,000.
Tennis club president Mark Keating said he was excited to renew the facility and hoped it would attract more players to the club.
“Tennis Queensland, through court assessment auditing, has identified significant safety issues with both the court condition and runoff areas,” he said.
“Rebuilding six courts will start the journey for Mareeba Tennis Club to safely use these courts, thereby allowing the operation of this facility more sustainably and ensuring the provision of a high-quality, accessible, welcoming, attractive tennis facility for members, registered players, and the local community.
“This will allow the club to increase their program numbers, overall participation and membership numbers.”
Member for Cook Cynthia Lui said she glad to see the grants from the government’s Minor Infrastructure and Inclusive Facilities Fund go towards sporting facilities in her electorate.
“Our clubs and sporting facilities are very much at the heart of our communities,” she said.
“Sports builds better communities and in Mareeba and across Cape York we will see new footy fields, basketball courts and upgraded facilities.
“It’s terrific that 33 Far North Queensland projects across 12 local government areas are receiving a total of more than $8.8 million through the fund.
“I’d like to acknowledge each of the local organisations and local governments who were successful with their applications, and I encourage all of our community members to take advantage of improved and more accessible facilities when the projects are finished.”
The remaining $3,466,452 worth of funding for the Cook electorate went towards sporting groups in the Cape York region.
Cook Shire Council received $225,626 to help construct an all-weather roof to support active recreation at Coen, while $133,183 went to Hope Vale Aboriginal Shire Council to install security and a shade-cover over the multi-sports centre.
In Kowanyama, the Aboriginal Shire Council was awarded $415,000 to upgrade the lights at the rugby league field, and Mapoon Aboriginal Shire received $413,955 to establish a rugby league field.
Napranum Aboriginal Shire Council also received $579,979 to upgrade their changing rooms and amenities at the rugby league field, while Wujal Wujal Aboriginal Shire Council received $395,634 to install new lighting at their field.
The Torres Strait Island Regional Council received $577,256 to construct amenities at the volleyball courts on Masig Island and $391,229 to upgrade the Kubin basketball courts.
