Grants improve sporting facilities

Shade structures, an electronic scoreboard and new lighting for local sporting facilities will all be delivered with help from Newcastle City Council's annual grants and sponsorship program.

^{No.1 Sportsground is set to get an electronic scoreboard part funded by a Newcastle City Council Recreation Facilities grant.}

Five local sporting groups each have received $5,000 under this year's Recreation Facilities Grant Program, which helps improvement projects at grounds and facilities enjoyed by Novocastrians and visiting sportspeople.

"We are delighted to help local sporting groups improve their facilities for the benefit of their members and the general public," Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said.

"Council provides a network of open spaces and facilities that cater for a diverse range of recreation, encourages health and wellbeing and promotes the city by attracting events and sporting teams.

"Together with our events and economic sponsorship and community assistance grants, this year Council is providing funding to projects and events involving some 183,000 people and generating an expected economic benefit in excess of $12.2 million."

Thanks to one of the $5,000 grants, the first of three shelters will be built around the Fearnley Dawes Athletic Track at National Park.

^{The proposed location for the three shade structures.}

"Kurt Fearnley and Kristie Dawes actually suggested the shelters be built at the 300m, 200m and 100m marks," Facility Manager Scott Westcott said.

"So we will start with one at the 200m mark before delivering the other two, which will help make the venue a world-class AWD training facility, with the slightly firmer outside lane, and provide permanent shelter for other user groups, such as school children."*

Newcastle City Australian Football Club (NCAFC) will put its Recreation Facilities grant toward an $80,000 project to install an electronic LED scoreboard at No.1 Sportsground.

"AFL and cricket teams and officials will be the primary beneficiaries of this project but spectators will also benefit from the new scoreboard facility," NCAFC Facilities Coordinator Mark Hope said.

"The electronic LED scoreboard will remove a number of hazards created by the current facility to users and the electronic format will offer better presentation, particularly at night."

Lambton Jaffas Football Club will install a light pole to illuminate the south-west corner of Arthur Edden Oval with its funding allocation.

"Training areas in winter are now at a premium," Jaffas Treasurer Christopher Sneddon said.

"We're grateful for the grant from council to help us with the $24,000 cost of this project to light up the training area for seven teams from U13s to first grade and the match-day warm up area."

Other recipients of Recreation Facilities grants include:

*Council provided a new amenities block at the National Park sporting complex and upgraded its car park before the track was resurfaced earlier this year.