NSW Netball Centre of Excellence takes shape

The NSW Government is calling for public submissions over plans for a new Netball NSW Headquarters at Sydney Olympic Park.

The planned Netball Centre of Excellence, which will provide a new home for netball in NSW, has been deemed as a 'State Significant Development Application' with the public being invited to comment on the plan.

Introducing the plans, Netball NSW Chief Executive Carolyn Campbell explained that the new facility "will give us an absolute focus and home. It will be a brand new building and I think that a lot of people will be keen to come and visit it and to focus on it being the new headquarters of netball."

The bringing together of the past and future of netball in NSW is a key element of the new centre says Campbell, who adds "it is absolutely critical for us to remember and honour our past. What has been laid before us is so strong and powerful and has allowed us to leap to greater heights.

"Without that we wouldn't be where we are - so for all of those things there must be a way of capturing that history, and more importantly than that, the people that have made the game and developed the game to where it is today.

"I often say that we are entrusted with the sport and it's about leaving it in a better place than where we found it and that's about taking what has already been done and putting another layer on top of that."

When the Netball Centre of Excellence is complete, netball will join a sporting family of 47 sports who already call Sydney Olympic Park home; a home that will open up many opportunities as well as provide a great platform to showcase the sport.

The plans for the new NSW Netball Headquarters at Sydney Olympic Park have been welcomed by NSW Shadow Minister for Sport Linda Burney, who stated "netball is enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of people across NSW (and) the growth of netball is something we should all be passionate about.

"I encourage all lovers of the sport to have their say on this proposal."

Funding for the $27 million facility was committed by the previous NSW Labor Government.

The Development Application, Environmental Impact Statement and other accompanying documents are on exhibition until 24th August 2012 and can be viewed at www.najorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au/index.pl?action=view_job&job_id=5207