Camden’s Kirkham Oval to receive $2.8 million upgrade to cater for growth in female participation

Camden Council and the NSW Government are funding a $2.8 million upgrade to Kirkham Oval to cater for the increase in female participation in sport at the facility.

As part of the project, which will start its construction in 2024, Council will build female friendly changerooms and supporting amenities for rugby league facilities at the field.

Local rugby league club, Camden Rams RLFC, successfully secured $1 million towards the project through the Office of Sport’s Greater Cities and Regional Sport Facility Fund.

Council is also contributing an additional $1.75 million to the project.

Camden Rams president, Greg Copeland, said 150 of the club’s players were female, and that number was continuing to grow.

Copeland advised “with hosting representative teams and looking to increase these numbers in the coming years, these upgrades to our facilities are a much-needed necessity to our club.

“I would like to thank the State Government for their $1 million contribution through the Greater Cities and Regional Sport Facility Fund and Camden Council for its almost $1.8 million contribution.”

Mayor of Camden, Cr Ashleigh Cagney, said she was excited to see the project come to fruition and shared “With the recent inspirational Matildas World Cup campaign, I feel positive that female participation in sport is going to continue to grow, therefore these upgrades to Kirkham Oval are vital.

“Thank you to the Office of Sport for its contribution to this project.

“It’s my hope that, with these new facilities, it will encourage more women and girls to play rugby league in our area.”