Roxby Council is pleased to receive advice from Federal Member for Grey Rowan Ramsay MP that Council’s recent grant application for $2.74 million towards the upgrade of the town’s sports precinct has been successful.

The project includes new outdoor multi-purpose netball/tennis courts, as-well-as modern, family-friendly changerooms and amenities.

The grant funding is provided by the Federal Government’s Building Better Region’s Fund, which aims to create jobs, drive economic growth and build stronger regional communities into the future.

In announcing the successful grant, Rowan Ramsey MP described Roxby Downs as a ‘jewel in the desert’.

‘Roxby Downs is a major contributor to the capacity of the SA economy,’ he said. ‘The town was purpose built and has a high percentage of young families and while the facilities are good, they are ageing and the face of sport has changed, particularly with the girls participating in sports that were once the reserve of males. Consequently, so too do the facilities need to change.

Roxby Council Administrator Geoff Whitbread thanked the Federal Government for its commitment to the project.

‘The successful grant funding will enable the creation of a high-quality, purpose-built sports precinct for Roxby Downs,’ he said. ‘Council recognises the integral role sport plays in the lives of Roxby residents. The increased participation of girls and women in sport has shown the very real need for modern sporting facilities and amenities in the town’.

Mr. Whitbread said Roxby Council was committed to seeking external funding for projects wherever possible to reduce the burden on rate payers.

The concept design for the sports precinct upgrade was approved by Council in May, and with this funding the project will now proceed to the planning stage, ahead of a formal call for tenders for construction.