Plans and funding revealed for new cricket oval on Sydney’s North Shore

Plans to upgrade the Mark Taylor Oval in the Sydney North Shore suburb of Waitara have moved forward with artists impressions released of how the upgrades sportsfield will look.

Aiming to inspire the next generation of cricketers in Sydney’s north, the project which has received $9 million in funding from the NSW Government is being undertaken by the Hornsby Shire Council in partnership with Northern District Cricket Club.

Previewing the designs with local stakeholders, NSW Minister for Local Government Shelley Hancock said the Council’s commitment to improving the popular Waitara Park would benefit both aspiring athletes and the local community.

She advised “the $9 million NSW Government investment will help deliver a number of improvements including an upgraded sports surface, an indoor cricket facility and a start-of-the-art pavilion, making Mark Taylor Oval a premier sporting destination.

“A Centre of Excellence like this one will allow for even more people from the Northern District Cricket Club and Hornsby Rugby Club to train and play at this world-class facility.”

The project is being delivered in three stages:

1. Complete reconstruction of the Mark Taylor Oval (the formerly Waitara Oval) playing surface

2. Indoor Cricket Centre that includes community use, and

3. New pavilion incorporating seating, universal change rooms, clubrooms for cricket and rugby, general community space and meeting rooms

Member for Hornsby Matt Kean said Hornsby is one of Sydney’s prestigious cricketing regions, supported by a wealth of players, noting “the new $2.1 million indoor centre, due to commence construction later this year, is going to be a game-changer for cricketers in the local area.

“An upgrade of this magnitude illustrates to our young cricketers and the community that you can go all the way, even in your own backyard.”

Work on Mark Taylor Oval is scheduled to be completed early in 2022 and the ground will be available for use for the winter rugby season.

Northern District Cricket Club President Jeremy Hook said the future looked bright for local sportspeople including cricketers and rugby players.

Hook added “the cricket club has been based at Mark Taylor Oval for nearly 100 years so we’re looking forward to having a headquarters that will nurture today and tomorrow’s up-and-coming cricketers.

“A sporting complex that caters to the growing needs of young people in the local area might mean we’ll see the next Mark Taylor right here in Hornsby.”

The development application for the $5.4 million redeveloped pavilion will be lodged later this year.