Sportsground funding a Tasmanian election issue

The Tasmanian Liberal party has pledged that, if successful in the upcoming State elections, it will provide the funds required for the completion of the function centre and clubrooms for Twin Ovals Development at Kingston, southern Tasmania.

With an election likely to be held in March, opposition Liberal leader Will Hodgman has announced that "a Liberal Government will provide $1.5 million in funding to allow this project to be completed."

The Federal Government has already provided $4 million to Kingborough Council for the development as part of its Community Infrastructure Program.

The Twin Ovals development, which is situated next to the Kingborough Sports Complex, is providing a new AFL-standard home for Kingborough Tigers Football Club and Kingborough District Cricket Club.

The development involves the construction of an AFL standard oval and an second oval for general cricket and football. The plan also includes a 200-seat function centre, changing rooms, a turf cricket wicket and eight practice wickets, an access road and a car park and floodlights, while a spectator grandstand is expected to be built at a later date.

The project currently faces a $1.5 million short fall for the function centre to be ready by the start of the 2011 football season.

Scheduled for completion by the summer of 2010/11, the scheme is being led by Andrew Walter Constructions and Total Turf Care and forms part of a wider multi-sport precinct in Kingborough to include a new State Gymnastics Centre and an extended Kingborough Sports Complex.

Will Hodgman stated "the intention of the Twin Ovals is to deliver a range of major sporting and community based benefits for all southern Tasmanian's thus it should include a function centre and decent sized change rooms and toilets.

"The improved facilities will encourage more people to participate in sport and have healthier lifestyles, and the Sports Precinct will also attract more visitors to Kingborough with flow on economic benefits to local businesses."

The project has been on the drawing board for many years in the fast growing municipality due to the chronic shortage of playing fields, with Australian Rules being the most affected due to the limited size of the Kingston Beach oval.

The current Tasmanian Government has just announced increased funding for sporting organisations with State Sport and Recreation Minister Michelle O'Byrne advising that 33 organisations will benefit from the 2010 State Grants Program with an additional $150,000 taking the total to near $1 million.

Among the recipients are Touch Football Australia, the Tasmanian Yachting Association, Tennis Tasmania and the Tasmanian branch of the Australian Sports Medicine Association.