A $14 million upgrade to sporting fields, amenities and netball courts is now complete at Belmont delivering the first stage of what is set to become the city's premier facility for team sports.
Lake Macquarie Mayor Adam Shultz said once the Belmont Sports Fields Master Plan is fully realised it has the potential to become home to regional team sporting competitions.
"The Belmont Sports Fields Master Plan seeks to capitalise on Council's largest sports precinct to develop a facility suitable for local sporting groups and regional-level competitions," Mayor Adam said.
"To help realise the vision we have for this facility, we need the support of the Federal and NSW Governments. Collaboration between all three levels of government is the best path to successfully deliver the quality sporting infrastructure we need in this city."
Barton Field and Lumsden Oval have received major renovations, including the addition of four rectangular fields, a baseball diamond, a turf cricket wicket block, a synthetic cricket wicket, irrigation systems, pathways, fencing, flood lights, a site electrical upgrade and ground re-alignment to better suit the mix of sporting clubs that call the complex home.
Two brand new multipurpose amenities buildings were also constructed, bringing the facility up to standard for regional-scale events.
The neighbouring Molly Smith Netball Courts have also received a refresh, including resurfacing of all 14 courts, new lighting, line marking and goal posts.
Lake Macquarie Mayor Adam Shultz said the revamped precinct could now accommodate larger events with improved facilities for existing user groups.
"The entire Belmont sporting facility is home to local rugby league, netball, cricket and baseball clubs, who will greatly benefit from these wholesale upgrades. Promisingly, the improved precinct could potentially accommodate soccer, rugby union and touch football in the future," he said.
"The new standard and scale of this facility, at what was already one of Lake Macquarie's largest sporting complexes, means it is now equipped to attract new users and higher levels of competition than ever before."
Federal Member for Shortland Pat Conroy and Minister for Hunter Yasmin Catley joined Mayor Adam to hand the Barton amenities building over to clubs today.
Ms Catley said the upgrades were a game changer for user groups, particularly female sporting clubs.
"The facility will be such an asset to our community and allow us to host regional events right here at Belmont," she said.
"I know that Lakes United cannot wait to access the new fields and with the women's game only continuing to grow, modern amenities are a necessity.
"I am proud to have helped secure $6.2 million in NSW Government funding for this project and the netball courts and look forward to supporting the project to completion."
Mr Conroy said the upgraded fields were an important asset for local families.
"Local sporting clubs raised the state of the fields with me, and I am pleased that the Commonwealth Government has delivered $1.4 million towards these important improvements," he said.
"As a dad, I'm looking forward to using the new fields with my kids. They're a fantastic asset that the whole community can enjoy."
The transformation will continue with a facility name change in the works to better reflect the centre's new regionally significant status.
Council has also engaged a researcher to explore the history of the fields as part of a project that will be included on the Lake Mac History website, including more than 80 named sporting fields, ovals, courts and grounds in the city.
The sports fields project was funded by $1.4 million from the Federal Government's Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Grant, $4.7 million from the NSW Government through their Resource 4 Regions Grant and Multi Sports Facility Fund and $5 million from Lake Macquarie City Council.
While the $3 million netball court upgrade was jointly funded by $1.5 million from the NSW Government through the Stronger Country Communities Fund Round Five and $1.5 million from Council.
Future stages of the works are expected to cost about $25 million. Council is seeking funding from both the State and Federal Governments to enable Belmont Sports Complex to realise its full potential as a regionally and state significant team sports precinct.
These stages include plans for:
- Stage 2a - $4.6m: detailed design to deliver the master plan, plus upgrading the playing field including surface improvements, drainage and irrigation, and car park upgrades at Barton Field.
- Stage 2b - $10m: new lighting, a grandstand, ground seating and new amenities at Barton Field; and improvements to the Maude Street entrance.
- Stage 3a - $8.2m: cricket nets, a baseball diamond and car park improvements at Les Miller Field.
- Stage 3b - $2.2m: new lighting at Les Miller Field.
