Logan school facilities unlocked for community club sport

In one of the first four pilots in Queensland in which school ovals, courts and halls will be opened up for local sporting and recreation use as part of a $24 million program to provide Queensland children with better sporting facilities, Browns Plains State High School located in Logan, South East Queensland, is partnering with Browns Plains Mets Rugby Union Club. 

Queensland Minister for Sport Mick de Brenni advised that the state’s first ever 10-year sport and recreation strategy, the $1.3 billion Activate! Queensland, would unlock the gate for those who may not have been able to get playing.

Minister de Brenni also advised that Shailer Park State high School would be partnering with the Logan Thunder Basketball Association to maximise the use of updated facilities, stating "we’re going to break down one of the biggest barriers to getting active through the opt-in $12 million Community Use of Schools program which will commence upgrades of school facilities for participating schools and clubs."

Local Member for Woodridge Cameron Dick noted “there is clear evidence that involvement in sport provides more positive avenues for our young people.  

“Opening up the sporting and rec facilities at Browns Plains State High School will extend the reach of the state’s infrastructure investment to benefit more people in our community.

“For some kids, there are significant barriers that make getting active quite challenging. That’s why this announcement is so important.

“It will give Queensland sporting clubs, and the Queenslanders who are part of these clubs, more access to better facilities, which is a result we can all cheer for.”

Other pilot partnerships include Atherton State High School and Atherton Netball Association, and Balmoral State High School is working with Southside Eagles Football Club.

Queensland Education Minister Grace Grace said the government would employ 40 school and community coordinators to help make the community use of schools work effectively stating, “these coordinators will reduce the burden on the school system by coordinating the use of school facilities by community organisations, in consultation with principals and P&Cs.

“We have some world-class sporting facilities at our Queensland schools so it’s great that other groups in the community will be able to make use of them.”

Minister de Brenni said that future Queensland Government sport and recreation facilities would be built and designed into all new schools in Queensland, facilitating the co-location of clubs and school so everyone can get active.

Schools will be able to opt in to the retrofit program and coordinators will work with communities to identify and prioritise infrastructure investment in schools.

Image courtesy of Browns Plains Mets Rugby Union Club/Facebook.