Federal Member for Berowra Julian Leeser MP has taken the Hon John McVeigh MP, Minister for Regional Development, Territories and Local Government to Greenway Park as the clubs launch a petition pushing for federal funding.
“Together with local sporting clubs, I am campaigning for funding to upgrade the Greenway Park sports house”, said Mr Leeser. “The clubs at Greenway Park are at the heart of our community. While they have achieved much on the sporting field, they require adequate facilities to ensure they can maximise their contribution to our community.”
“Sports clubs are about more than match results. The bonds formed between the club participants at Greenway Park make up the fabric of our community. Time spent together as a club off the field, for celebration, administration or club development, is just as valuable as time spent on the field. I fully support the local community’s plans to upgrade the Greenway Park sports house”, Mr Leeser said.
More than 2,000 families and 8,000 individuals are connected to Greenway Park through sport, but local clubs are concerned that the facilities aren’t fitting for such an important community asset.
Vice-President of Pennant Hills Senior AFL Club and executive of the Greenway Community Sports House Community, Phillip Hare said the clubs have united to highlight their vision for a truly great Greenway Park.
“As volunteers we individually love our preferred sport, but we are also connected by the belief that sporting clubs are the modern heart of a healthy community,” Mr Hare said.
“To support this community belief and the thousands of players and families who regularly use Greenway Park, we need a community space.”
The sporting clubs met with Mr Leeser in late February for a roundtable discussion about the park’s problems.
Mr Leeser said he was committed to taking the case directly to his federal colleagues, in a bid to secure the funding.
“I brought Minister McVeigh to Greenway Park today to show him how important this project is to our community”, said Mr Leeser.
The Greenway Community Sports House Committee today launched a community petition to show the strength of local support for this project. The community is encouraged to sign the petition here.
The seven sporting clubs that call Cherrybrook’s Greenway Park home have united in a push to secure federal funding for a Greenway Community Sports House.
Putting aside their sporting code rivalry – the clubs – including:
- PENNO STAGS RUGBY LEAGUE CLUB
- PENNANT HILLS SENIOR AFL CLUB
- WESTBROOK JUNIOR AFL CLUB
- GREENWAY GIANTS BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL CLUB WEST
- PENNANT HILLS AND CHERRYBROOK CRICKET CLUB
- CHERRYBROOK SENIOR AND LITTLE ATHLETICS CENTRE
- CHERRYBROOK UNITED NETBALL CLUB
have come together to form the GREENWAY COMMUNITY SPORTS HOUSE COMMITTEE.
The clubs are seeking $2.7 million in funding to construct the Greenway Community Sports House, which would directly address problems including:
- Limited change rooms that discourage female participation
- A lack of shade for spectators
- Poor disability access
- The lack of a simple and safe sheltered facility for club gatherings
