Inner West Council invests in local sports

Wednesday 1 November 2017

Bold new targets to increase the number of women and girls playing sport in the inner west is part of a package of measures being investigated by Inner West Council to create a healthier community. 

At last night’s meeting, Council voted unanimously to begin planning for a $65 million investment in sporting fields, parks, playgrounds and pools in order to deliver first class sporting facilities for local families and clubs throughout the local area.

Mayor Darcy Byrne said Council will also be looking to establish an Office of Sport to provide new support for local clubs.

“We believe every child should be able to enjoy the health and social benefits of participating in sport. No child should be turned away because they have no space to play,” Mayor Byrne said.

“We will work with local clubs to set ambitious targets for increasing the participation of women and girls in sport. We will pursue this as an important tool to reduce gender inequality in our community. “This is the largest and most comprehensive commitment to the funding and support of community sport in the history of the inner west,” Mayor Byrne said.

Councillor Mark Drury said Council’s approach to sport needs to recognise that participation in community sport contributes to community health and wellbeing.

“Council needs to better recognise that community sports clubs are the largest network of volunteers in our community, and make sure they get the recognition, support and investment they need,” he said.

Council will investigate

• Investing $65 million over 3 years in sporting fields, parks, playgrounds and pools to deliver the highest-quality facilities for local families and clubs
• Establishing an Inner West Office of Sport to provide assistance to clubs and transform the Council’s relationship with sporting clubs from one based on ground hire only into a strategic partnership to improve the health and wellbeing of our community
• Working with clubs to identify bold targets for increasing the participation of women and girls across all sports and implement ways of increasing participation from people from lower socio-economic backgrounds
• Establishing new netball courts, of which there are too few, and the first hockey field in the Inner West Council area.