Caloundra Rugby Union Club’s future is looking brighter than ever at Lighthouse Park with the switching on of new Federally funded lighting for the ground’s third field. The lights, paid for with a $131,000 grant under the Coalition Government’s Building Better Regions Fund are increasing the capacity of the Club’s fields for night time games and training for Rugby and other local sports.
Federal Member for Fisher, who officially switched on the lights before today’s home game against Noosa Rugby Union Club said that the installation of these new 100 lux lights on Field 3 will benefit more than 2,000 people ever year.
“These new lights will allow Caloundra Rugby Union Club to offer more night-time training, keep their main pitch in better condition, broaden participation for more local women and bring new events and new activities to even more people in our community.” Mr Wallace said.
The grant will provide additional economic benefits to the region, generating more than $1.7 million a year by attracting new sporting carnivals and creating an extra two on-going jobs. The project supported 15 jobs during construction.
“Grassroots sports clubs like Caloundra Rugby Union Club and Caloundra Oztag help drive increased participation and promote the social, health and community benefits of physical activity. These new lights will not only help the Rugby Club’s players to train longer and give them the best chance of winning another Premiership but will give hundreds of locals far more opportunity to get active and take part in Oztag on these fields.” Mr Wallace said.
Caloundra Rugby Union Club has become a local institution over the past 30 years with more than 200 registered players. The Club hosts touring teams from as far afield as Japan, and provides high quality fitness plans for players as young as 6. The Club’s fields also host the nearly 1,000 regular players of Caloundra’s Oztag Association.
Caloundra Rugby Union Club’s Marketing and Business Development Officer Scott Kidston said “This is a fantastic outcome for the Rugby Club, and for the Caloundra community. We are really grateful for the Federal Government coming through with this grant. We were a Club that was at capacity, but this project now means that we can cater for the increased participation we are seeing in Rugby on the Sunshine Coast.”
“We’ve seen a massive increase in women’s participation in Rugby in particular and having access to the third field after dark is now allowing us to provide a training space for everyone and not be as cramped as we have been.” Mr Kidston said.
The Australian Government is investing $841 million from 2017-18 to 2022-23 in the Building Better Regions Fund. The Fund aims to create jobs, drive economic growth, and build stronger regional communities into the future.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said the Australian Government’s $131,000 investment in sporting infrastructure would provide long term benefits to the Caloundra region.
“In addition to providing enhanced sport and recreation facilities for local and interstate players, this investment will also produce long-term economic benefits as it is expected to attracting sporting carnivals that will generate over $1.7m per year in economic benefit to the region,” Mr McCormack said.
“By supporting 15 jobs in construction and creating multiple ongoing positions after completion, this project will help bring prosperity to Caloundra for many years to come.”
More information about the Government’s Building Better Regions Fund is available at www.business.gov.au/bbrf.
