The completion of the Inverleigh Sporting Complex’s upgraded netball courts was officially marked at a different kind of opening on Saturday 31 July.
Parliamentary Secretary for Sport Danielle Green MP and Golden Plains Shire Mayor Cr Helena Kirby were joined by David Haste, President of the Inverleigh Football Netball Club to official open the Inverleigh Netball Courts Upgrade project.
Works to upgrade the Complex’s two courts were completed in 2020, however, the pandemic had delayed the official celebration until this weekend. With restrictions on public gatherings still in place, the occasion was marked in a small ceremony without crowds following the end of the Inverleigh Hawks’ final home game of the season. With community members unable to join the celebration, the two government and club representatives recorded a video which will be available on Council’s website and social media channels later today.
The $448,700 Inverleigh Netball Courts Upgrade was a partnership project, with $250,000 from the Victorian Government’s Local Sport Infrastructure Fund and $198,700 from Golden Plains Shire Council. The project included the construction of two new fully compliant local competition standard netball courts with court lighting to competition standard. The new courts replaced the two existing courts which had been identified as unsafe and non-compliant in the G21 AFL Barwon Football and Netball Regional Strategy.
Quotes attributable to Parliamentary Secretary for Sport Danielle Green MP
“The Inverleigh Hawks are an integral part of this community - they deserve appropriate facilities they can be proud of. The new netball courts and change rooms on the way open up more opportunities for participation at this popular reserve, and provide the perfect foundation for the clubs to build on their memberships and the community to host the big events.
“Better sport and recreation facilities make it easier for Victorians to get back to local sport and recreation and lead healthy and active lifestyles.”
Quotes attributable to Golden Plains Shire Mayor Cr Helena Kirby
“The upgraded netball courts at the Inverleigh Sporting Complex are a terrific facility for the current Inverleigh Football Netball Club players, visiting teams and community members. Council was proud to partner with the Victorian Government to deliver this great project.
“Celebrating the upgrade has been a year in the making, and while COVID-19 meant we were unable to mark the occasion with community members in the end, we hope the club and community are pleased with the upgraded courts and continue to make good use of it in years to come.”
Pictured above, left to right: Cr Clayton Whitfield, Cr Les Rowe, Mayor Cr Helena Kirby, Federal Member for Corangamite Libby Coker MP, Inverleigh Football Netball Club President David Haste, Parliamentary Secretary for Sport Danielle Green MP, and Inverleigh Football Netball Club Vice-President Rob McHenry.