Boost for sport

Helensburgh’s pool, footy oval lights and Burgh Healthy Hub will benefit from funding

Ever since he bought the old squash courts on Cemetery Road eight years ago, Ben Abeleven has had big plans for Burgh Healthy Hub.

Now, thanks to a $2.1 million funding boost from the NSW Government’s Multi-Sport Community Facility Fund announced on Wednesday, November 23, stage 1 of those dreams is set to become a reality at Burgh in the next three years.

“Ben’s a really amazing big dreamer,” said his wife, Treetop Arts director Charlie Truscott. “I’m actually just really happy for him because that [funding] feels like a really nice win after such a hard slog for so long.”

The money will help transform an area used for parkour into a new gymnasium room, which Charlie will then fill with children’s classes, including gymnastics, aerials, circus and tumbling.

The extra gym space will also provide an indoor training option for the Helensburgh Tigers rugby league club and Helensburgh Netball, which supported Ben’s grant application.

Public facilities are also set for upgrades thanks to the same fund. Wollongong City Council will

Well done to the Boardriders winners

Ian Pepper reports receive $3.2m to help further its dream of a Helensburgh Park multi-sport facility – starting by installing lighting at Rex Jackson Oval and fixing the swimming pool.

Heathcote MP Lee Evans said the pool required a major upgrade to fix its “concrete cancer”.

“So it’s a major upgrade and hence the amounts of money that’s going to be going into it.”

In a statement, Wollongong City Lord Mayor Councillor Gordon Bradbery AM said, “The work that is planned as part of the facility upgrade will extend its pool life by another 40 years…”

The sports field lighting and pool upgrades are in Council’s current Infrastructure Delivery Program, set to happen between 2023 and 2026.

Massive congratulations to our 2022 winners and place-getters! All were revealed at Beaches Hotel on Saturday, December 3.

• Open A Grade: Joshua Pepper

• Senior Girls: Kasey Hargreaves

• B Grade: Benjamin Pepper

• Over 55: David Kemp

• Over 45: Andrew Pfeiffer

• Over 35: Tom Simpson

• 18 & Under: Lenny Golding

• 14 & Under: Rhett Maddock

• 12 & Under: Ashton Mekisic/ Jesse Fitzgibbons

• Junior Girls: Macey Jolley

• Senior Club Person: Michelle Morgan

• Junior Club Person: Tyler Haines

• Most Improved Male: Harrison Agnew

• Most Improved Female: Melanie Curnow

• Encouragement Award: Willow Mahler

• Finbox surfboard winner: Kenny Jordan

• DP Surfboard winner: Saxon King

Thanks to president Christian De Clouett, Ian Pepper, Shaun Warren and all the others who helped put it together. Thanks to the indefatigable Luke Campbell, who is bowing out as Microgroms coordinator. Thanks also to Zion for entertaining the crowd. And, last but not least, thanks to all our sponsors. We couldn’t do it without you!

Surfrider donates beach wheelchair

By Susie Crick, president of Surfrider South Coast

To wrap up 2022, the crew from Surfrider South Coast went along to the Disabled Surfers Association South Coast (DSA) final event of the year at Thirroul Beach last month.

About 100 people came out on a beautiful, sunny Saturday morning to help the Disabled Surfer Association participants. Volunteers of all ages were so happy to get in the water with our less ablebodied friends and share the stoke. Throughout 2022, Surfrider South Coast members raised enough money to donate a beach wheelchair to DSA to give even more people the chance to enjoy the water.

A bunch of keen volunteers donned their wetsuits and kicked off the action in the Thirroul pool where we were able to provide confidence in the water to people of all abilities.

It was the first time for many of the volunteers, who all came away with huge smiles and said “It was perhaps one of the most rewarding days of my life!” It’s such a good feeling to be able to pay the joy forward, and allow everyone to experience the freedom that water brings.

As well as helping out in the water, some of our volunteers did a beach clean. A group of UOW students came to do an AUSMAP (microplastics survey) on the beach.

After a couple of hours in the sun and enjoying the waves, everyone had worked up an appetite and were ready for a barbecue lunch. Huge thanks to Ian Picton and his crew for allowing us to share these incredible moments.

I would love all of the readers to come along to the first DSA event of the 2023 calendar at Port Kembla on Sunday, 26 February at 9am. For more information please check out the DSA South Coast Facebook page @DSASouthCoast

Musos for marine life

Surfrider South Coast was selected to take part in the ‘Village Green’ for the recent Jack Johnson tour where we engaged with fans, and raised awareness about important marine issues. Prior to the concert we met with CEOs of Australia’s major environmental NGOs to discuss and collaborate on various projects and solutions. It is great to see musicians using their celebrity to promote causes that will ensure a cleaner future, and to set an example of how all events can be run.

Choose to Up Cup

If you want to make a New Year’s resolution that is so easy to do, why not choose to Up Cup! For 2023, we are partnering with the Plastic Free July movement to drive home the message to choose to BRING, BORROW or STAY. As more people realise that single-use cups aren’t readily recycled, it’s getting easier to avoid them. You can either bring your own reusable cup, borrow or swap a cup from some cafes, or take 10 minutes and enjoy your favourite cuppa there. Support local cafes, support our oceans and choose to Up Cup.

Keep safe in the water and enjoy the summer of Surfrider! #UpCup #PlasticFreeJuly