Newsletter September 2017
football
facilities
Clubs Football Facilities Forum a big hit with grassroots clubs
GROW, DEVELOP & PROMOTE THE GAME
This Issue
THE Facilities and Advocacy Unit joined forces with Bankstown District Amateur Football Association (BDAFA), Canterbury District Soccer Football Association (CDSFA) and St George Football Association (SGFA) to produce
the first Clubs Football Facilities Forum (CFFF). Over 100 people from the Bankstown, Canterbury and St George football community attended the forum at Bankstown Sports Club who sponsored the event on Monday 31st July. The Clubs Football Facilities Forum is an adjunct from the NSW Facilities Forum that Football NSW held in previous years at Valentine Sports Park. This forum was a great opportunity to bring the content to the masses. The Facilities and Advocacy Unit’s vision is to grow, develop and
02 Community assistance improves
06 Hilltop Kookaburra’s shine under
03 Doing what it takes to get grounds
07 Meadowbank Park revamped 08 What’s happening elsewhere? 09 Snapshot of Synthetic projects 10 Parksheds - helping you do
Alroy Oval
ready for a winter season
03 The importance of oversowing 04 Funding opportunites 05 West Pymble FC receive a $500,000
grant towards a new synthetic field
LED’s
amenities better
06 Bill Anderson Reserve receives lighting upgrade
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promote the game by supporting our members, stakeholders and the football family through effective governance, strong leadership, transparent communication, professional administration as well as a clear strategic direction. Football NSW CEO Stuart Hodge was ecstatic with the attendance the forum recieved. “Football NSW and the Facilities and Advocacy Unit prides itself on building the capacity of football clubs and its members in NSW, and this forum did exactly that,” said Mr Hodge. A number of special guests presented some valuable information on facility development and government engagement. David Coleman, Federal MP for Banks and Jihad Dib, State MP for Lakemba spoke about the need for clubs to engage with members of parliament whether it be Local, State or Federal governments. Mr Coleman encouraged clubs to not be shy about voicing their opinions and concerns. “Don’t be shy to tell your local Federal MP about your football club”. While Jihad Dib reiterated Mr Coleman’s view by telling clubs “to build strong relationships with your State MP”. Michelle Whitehurst, Manager Project Delivery from Georges River Council spoke to club representatives about the importance of engaging with local councils early in the project delivery stage to ensure the best result for all parties. Football Federation Australia representative Ricardo Piccioni explained the importance of constant and continual engagement with all levels of government plus the need to share information with others throughout the football community. While finally Football NSW Facilities, Funding and Delivery Coordinator Daniel Ristic gave all clubs a run through of the NSW Asian Cup 2015 Legacy Fund. The forum also included a tradeshow with exhibitors from Deploy, Fountain Line, Mitre and Wholesale Trophies. Clubs had the opportunity to speak directly to suppliers about the various football products required to run grassroots football. Overall the forum was a great success, it was fantastic to see BDAFA, CDSFA and SGFA associations combine and collaborate together with Football NSW to produce an informative night for grassroots football. For Football Facilities resources, case studies and events, visit: www.footballfacilities.com.au
Community assistance improves Alroy Oval After two and a half years of discussion, planning & construction, the Member for Upper Hunter, Michael Johnsen MP, opened a new shade shelter at Alroy Oval, Singleton Heights in April 2017. Singleton Strikers Football Club (SSFC) has led the push to improve their playing facilities and are delighted that the additional space will be able to be used by other local clubs and the Singleton community at large. President of the SSFC junior committee, Mark Henderson said, “this new facility will not just benefit our club, but Singleton Track & Field Club, all Singleton schools who all hold athletics carnivals at this facility and the residents of the Singleton Heights who now have a large undercover area which can be used for a variety of uses”. This project came out of discussions with the club’s hard-working committee who saw a need to improve their barbecue area, which raises a considerable amount of money for the club. Rather than waiting for government handouts, the club sought out local grant opportunities and over a two-year period achieved the $43,000 necessary to construct this new building. Mr Henderson went on, “without the support of Glencore Coal Assets Australia, Ashton Coal, NSW Government Office of Sport – Sport & Recreation & Singleton Sports Council grants this facility would have taken years for our club members to fundraise ourselves. We did not receive every grant we applied for, but we were persistent. After receiving our first grant we realised that rather than make a small improvement, we needed a structure that would benefit the whole community and that would be considered their own”. The new 13 metre by 9 metre steel building was designed and constructed by Hunter Prestige Homes Pty Ltd and who have financially contributed to this project in their own right. Along with the support of local company Tutt Bryant Hire Singleton, who supplied all the lifting and hire equipment required for such a large project. With excitement and pride in their new facility, the local footballing community enjoyed usng this facility during the 2017 winter season.
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Doing ready what it takes Doing what it takes to get grounds a wint for a winter season Hornsby Shire Council parks staff were made to work harder than usual this year as they got 88 various sporting fields ready for the winter sport season. A huge help was the line-marking machine introduced last year that uses GPS technology.
It once required three people to mark a football field, using lengths of measuring tape and more than a little guesswork, but now a single person can do the entire job with precision by simply reading the GPS monitor. In all there was almost 44 kilometres of line marking laid down (the equivalent of walking from Cowan to Sydney’s CBD) and 940 litres of paint.
Eighteen cricket wickets were also covered, while 55 pairs of goal posts were installed. “The provision of sportsgrounds is one of Council’s most important tasks and it is one that we take very seriously,” Mayor Russell said. “Throughout winter more than 21,000 registered players competed on the fields in various sports, supported by an army of parents and volunteers.”
?KNOW
DID YOU
Adapted from the Hornsby Advocate
Hornsby Shire Council’s parks staff were made to wo
There was 200+mmfields ofready rain in April for the winter sport season. 2017, Penrith Council found it impossible help was the line-marking machine introduced of parks , 340ha to mow their 428haA huge of sportsgroundsItand 235ha ofpeople to mark a football field, once required three community land as oftenbutasnow usual, guesswork, a single due personto can do the entire tractors sinking into soft ground.
In all there was almost 44 kilometres of line marking l
The importanceThe of Oversowing importance of Oversowing CBD) and 940 litres of paint.
Eighteen cricket wickets were also covered, while 55
The process of oversowing plays an important role in ensuring grass football pitches are kept in pristine and healthy condition.
“The provision of sportsgrounds is one of Council’s m Mayor Russell said.
“Throughout winter more than 21,000 registered play army of parents and volunteers.”
Oversowing is the technique of sowing, with an example being seen at Valentine Sports Park’s field number one, where the Rye grass seeds into existing turf which in VSP’s case is Agri-Dark couch, without preparing a traditional, ploughed and cultivated seedbed.
Adapted from the Hornsby Advocate
This is done for several reasons including: • Tolerate wear for winter active sports • Aesthetics • Protection of parent grass or warm season grass • Longevity of field quality The process involves: 1. Spraying a growth regulator on to the mother plant (Agri-Dark Couch) 2. Scarifying (heavy) the Agri-Dark Couch 3. Seeding the field with the Rye Grass (contractor) 4. Irrigation (2 times a day 3 days a week until germination) 5. Fertilise 6. Irrigate (once a day, 3 days a week) 7. Cut the field after the seed has fully germinated (Rye Grass should be a week old) Football Facilities | Facilities & Advocacy Unit | September 2017 Newsletter | 03
The process of oversowing plays an important role in ensuring grass football
Funding Opportunities
Regional Sports Infrastructure Fund Up to $100 million is now available through the Regional Sports Infrastructure Fund.
The fund's objectives are to:
The Regional Sports Infrastructure fund has been established by the NSW Government to create a network of spaces and places that enable communities to enjoy quality sport and participate in physical activity. It will invest in new and existing venues to improve participation and performance in sports at all levels.
• improve the standard of existing regional level sporting facilities
Project nominations involving partnerships between groups are encouraged.
NSW Asian Cup 2015 Legacy Fund – Update Round 1 of the NSW Government $4 million fund to deliver better community facilities for local football clubs across NSW is closed and a decision on the successful applicants will be announced by the Minister for Sport, The Hon. Stuart Ayers. Projects are waiting for approval from The Hon. Stuart Ayres before an announcement is made shortly by the Minister. Details of Round 2 will be announced shortly and it is envisaged that the fund is due to open in September/October 2017. To keep up to date with this fund, please visit www.footballfacilities. com.au or the Office of Sport website.
• increase the number and type of regional level sporting facilities • increase regular and on-going participation opportunities in sport • provide infrastructure that enables economic growth and boosts productivity. The fund remains open to applications year-round. For further information and to apply, click here.
Liquor and Gaming NSW Liquor & Gaming NSW offers grants to communities across NSW to support the building, renovation and fitout of infrastructure. Funding is available for sport and recreation, arts and cultural infrastructure, and projects that enhance facilities used to shelter communities and provide emergency services. Infrastructure Grants are made possible by the ClubGrants Category 3 Fund, which reinvests 0.4 per cent of clubs’ gaming machine profits over $1 million back into community projects. Funding can be used for costs such as construction, purchase of capital equipment and professional fees. Organisations have four opportunities to apply for grants throughout the year: August and November 2017, February and May 2018.
Funding Available: Sport & Recreation $100,000 to $300,000 available per project For further information and to apply, click here.
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Local Sport Grant Program Local Sport Grant Program The program aims to increase regular and on-going participation opportunities in sport and active recreation. There are four project types within the Program: 1. Sport Development 2. Community Sport Events 3. Sport Access 4. Facility Development Funding available • Funding is available for projects throughout NSW •$ 50,000 has been allocated for successful projects within each NSW electorate Program objectives The overall objectives of the Program are to: • I ncrease regular and on-going participation in sport or structured physical activity. •A ddress barriers to participation in sport or structured physical activity. •A ssist sport clubs provide quality service to their members.
Your project must address at least one of these objectives. The maximum amounts available are: • Sport Development - $2,000 • Community Sport Events - $5,000 • Sport Access - $5,000 • Facility Development - $20,000 The minimum amount available is $250 for all project types with the exception being for facility development which has a minimum request of $1,000. Organisations may apply for one project per project type. The maximum available to any one organisation is $25,000 in a financial year. The amount organisations request should reflect the scale of the project. Opening date: 4 September, 2017 Closing date: 6 October, 2017 For more details please see the Office of Sport website in particular the Guidance Notes provided.
West Pymble FC receive a $500,000 grant towards new synthetic field The NSW Government have announced that they will contribute $500,000 towards the installation of a new synthetic playing field at Norman Griffiths Oval, West Pymble through the Liquor & Gaming NSW Clubgrants infrastructure program. Minister for Lands and Forestry and Minister for Racing, The Hon. Paul Toole with Member for Ku-ring-gai, Alister Henskens were excited to make the announcement, which will allow more players to play the game of football in the Northern Suburbs Football Association (NSFA). Mr Henskens said “the new synthetic playing field will particularly benefit the local football competition”. West Pymble FC is a strong and successful club in the Northern Suburbs Football Association with over 900 registered players. A new synthetic surface will assist the club all year round with training and competition throughout the winter season. It will also allow hundreds of participants to participate in summer football during the summer season. The new synthetic field will allow 60+ hours of usage per week, ensuring more people are participating in sport in the local community. The installation of a synthetic field is a step in the right direction to ensure the future needs of football are met in the Northern Suburbs so that every individual that wants to participate has a place to play.
“Our Government is pleased to provide this funding to help more people experience the many benefits of taking part in sport and leisure activities including improved fitness and well-being and greater social interaction,” stated Minister for Racing, Paul Toole. The funding from the NSW’s Clubgrants infrastructure program coupled with funding from Ku-ring-gai Council, NSFA, West Pymble FC, NSW Government Local Sport Grant Program and Federal Government Stronger Communities Program will see over $1.4 million for the synthetic surface project. Football also received funding for a second project for Burragorang District Soccer Club (BDSC). BDSC received $550,000 for the construction of a new clubhouse. BDSC play in the Macarthur Football Association and will no doubt be looking to utilise their new clubhouse in the not too distant future.
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Bill Anderson Reserve receives lighting upgrade Bill Anderson Reserve at Kemps Creek will receive a lighting upgrade courtesy of state government funding to the tune of $10,000. Mulgoa MP, Tanya Davies and The Minister for Sport, Stuart Ayres presented Kemps Creek United Soccer Club with the cheque on Saturday, 29th July 2017. “Recently Kemps Creek Soccer Club received grants for vital drainage installation and upgrades to fencing. This sporting grant for the upgrade of lighting signifies the commitment the NSW Government has to investing in our local communities and supporting the growth of young athletes,” Ms Davies said. Mr Ayres said clubs like Kemps Creek are a “community asset”, but sometimes needed a helping hand to make sure their players get the most out of their facilities. “Kemps Creek Soccer Club provides a fun way to stay healthy, fit and strengthen the relationships between everyone involved which leads to a stronger and healthier community,” he said.
Mulgoa MP, Tanya Davies presents Kemps Creek United with the cheque.
Article taken from the Fairfield City Champion
Hilltop Kookaburra’s shine under LED’s The 2017 winter football season was one to remember for the Hilltop Soccer Club who received a fantastic new lighting upgrade at their home ground Boronia Oval. The Hilltop Kookaburra’s Soccer Club participate in the Highlands Football Association in NSWs Southern Highlands. The Kookaburra’s are the first football club in NSWs Southern Branch to embrace LED lighting and the first football club in regional NSW to take on LED lighting. Boronia Oval is now lit to 100 lux, which enables the club to not only train, but play competition games as well. Wingecarribee Shire Council have taken the leap into the future by installing LED lighting at Boronia Oval and will be looking to install further LED’s at other sporting fields in the future. The Boronia Park lighting upgrade is part of Council’s Capital Renewal and Fit for the Future programs. Council Officer, My Byrne said, “Up until recently LED’s were still too expensive for regional councils to consider when lighting public sports fields. But recent advancements in technology have closed the gap in terms of cost, making LED’s a more attractive and affordable alternative” On April 12, Hilltop Soccer Club hosted their first ever night game against Wollondilly Soldiers in Round 1 of the Youth Grade HAS Cup. Unfortunately, the home team went down in a penalty shoot-out in the historic night for the club. It was a great experience for all the boys involved, and no doubt they will play many more night games at Boronia Park. The LED lights and poles were supplied by IWE and installed by Power By Watts. The new lighting will no doubt see the club expand with more participants playing the wonderful world game.
(Article adopted from IWE and Wingecarribee Shire Council) (Photos from IWE)
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Meadowbank Park Revamped Meadowbank Park is a well known football facility in the Gladesville Hornsby Football Association (GHFA) with8 full sized football fields and a number of mini fields. The park underwent a considerable makeover in November 2016 and is expected to be completed by October 2017. The makeover included the reconstruction of 2 full sized fields and the upgrade of lighting on 4 fields. Meadowbank Park is home to one of the largest clubs in the GHFA, West Ryde Rovers FC, who have over 900 playing members. The park also hosts several local teams for training during the winter season due to its size.
Field Reconstruction
The lighting upgrade saw fields, 2, 3, 7 and 8 upgraded to a minimum of 50 lux and infrastructure on one field to be upgraded to 100 lux in the near future. Works commenced in February 2017 and were completed in June 2017 with a budget of $380,000, with $30,000 contributed from West Ryde Rovers FC. Lights are a very important element of a football facility, they are simple but an effective way to improve facilities. The new lighting at Meadowbank Park will be of great benefit for the 900 plus players at West Ryde Rovers FC who will now be able to use every inch of the 4 full sized fields that received the lighting upgrade, rather than concentrating their training in various pockets where the lights were shining previously. The lighting upgrade at Meadowbank Park was a well needed investment, which will see benefit well into the future. (Story adapted from City of Ryde) (Photos from City of Ryde)
This project involved raising the levels of fields 7 & 8 to match the surrounding areas. Top soil material was imported and regraded to level the area. The project saw over 7,000 tonnes of fill material imported to the venue plus over 5,000 tonnes of topsoil material. Once the area was levelled, irrigation and sand slit drainage was installed in addition to completely returfing both fields. City of Ryde Council completed the project with a budget of more than $1,000,000. Football will step back onto field 7 & 8 in early 2018 when the new football season commences.
Sportsground Lighting Renewal In conjunction with the field reconstruction, 4 football fields at Meadowbank Park received lighting upgrades. A few years ago, the City of Ryde Council conducted a lighting audit on all sportsfields in their jurisdiction. The audit showed that several fields across the council area did not meet current Australian Standards, some which were identified at Meadowbank Park.
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WHATS HAPPENING ELSEWHERE? QUEENSLAND UNIVERSITY OF TECHOLOGY A synthetic football field at the ‘top off’ the rooftop of a new multi-story car park development was undertaken to address space and sporting requirements for Queensland University of Technology (QUT). Polytan installed a popular and very durable synthetic surfacing system called LigaTurf RS+, utilising virgin Bionic Fibre EPDM rubber performance infill for the football field, surrounded by attractive Poligras surfacing to the surrounding concrete path offering access to the entire area. The rooftop sporting facility also features athletic sprint lanes on one side of the field using the latest coloured Berlin Blue Spurtan surface. An interesting component to this facility is the application of HYDROCHILL – a heat reduction spray treatment which features advanced cooling benefits! Through the application of HYDROCHILL, the immediate benefit has been to reduce surface heat in excess of 20 degrees celsius through retention of moisture and evaporative cooling technology, in conjunction with an irrigation system. This significant reduction in surface temperature allows athletes to perform more easily and remain comfortable for longer periods of time. Polytan’s exclusive partner Southwest Greens applied the spray on treatment to the completed LigaTurf RS+ football surface and test results have continued to show extremely positive results in terms of significant heat reduction.
Inverell’s Sports Complex It has been a project more than a year in the making, but the Inverell Sporting Complex’s new clubhouse has officially opened. Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall, Mayor Paul Harmon and representatives of several community organisations were at the new clubhouse where Mr Marshall and Cr Harmon performed the official duties. “From the start, I think it would be a couple of years for people or even longer than that to get something done with the old building,” Sports council president Kerry Stafford said. “The Shire is very progressive with what they do for sport in the town, so it is good.” Mr Marshall boasted Inverell had some of the best sporting facilities in the region and said the new clubhouse, rounding out a trio of developments over previous years at Varley Oval and Cameron Park, could see Inverell rival Tamworth as a centre for sporting excellence.
Cr Harmon said the new facility would “ratchet up” the sports complex and cement Inverell’s reputation as a centre for sport in the region. “It really is a great facility for our community, and it really does cap off this wonderful sporting facility we have here,” he said. The Inverell Lions Club were the first to use the new clubhouse where they hosted a demonstration of automated external defibrillators, which will be delivered to locations around town after the club raised more than $30,000 to purchase 12 machines for local sporting fields. The sports complex construction project was funded in part by the State Government Club Grant program. Article adopted from the Inverell Times
“This is enormous for Inverell,” Mr Marshall said. “I think people often underestimate the value that sport plays - not only in keeping people healthy and producing the next generation of sports stars to compete on the state, national and international level but the value that sport brings to your local economy. There is absolutely no doubt in my view that pound-for-pound, Inverell has some of the best sporting facilities of any community in the New England North West” said Adam Marshall, MP “I know Tamworth likes to rabbit on about all of its stuff, but pound-for-pound, nothing can get around a community of over 12,000 people in Inverell and to have the facilities that you have is an envied mark of distinction.”
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Snap Shot of Synthetic Projects Bernie Mullane Reserve
West Epping Park
The Hills Shire Council has started works on its first two all-weather synthetic playing fields.
The growing population in the City of Parramatta Council area of Epping, will benefit from the creation of a synthetic football and cricket field, cricket practice nets, play areas, picnic facilities, open lawns areas and sports field lighting at West Epping Park.
The construction company, Turf One Pty Ltd, have been granted the tender to upgrade Fields 1 and 2 as part of the Bernie Mullane Master Plan. This project will help with the ongoing challenges for the demand of space with an increase in sports participation. The fields are due to be completed and ready for the winter season by early 2018.
Christie Park Project Work is currently underway at Christie Park (City of Ryde Council) for two all-weather FIFA Quality sports fields. Council have committed $5.5 million towards the project, which will help to meet the current and future needs of football. The field is expected to act as a home ground for Ryde-based teams competing in the Football NSW National Premier League Competitions (NPL). These teams include Spirit FC, Gladesville Ryde Magic FC, NWS Koalas FC and Gladesville Ravens FC.
The $11.3 million project started in August 2016 and is due to be completed by October 2017 by Polytan. Major earthworks on the new synthetic sports fields are almost complete. In the next couple of months drainage cells, rubber softfall and the synthetic surface will be laid.
Strathfield Park and Mason Park Two new synthetic fields are being built with one at Strathfield Park and one field at Mason Park by Strathfield Council. The local sport community will benefit from these all-weather playing fields by being able to play sport all year round. Construction of the fields by Tuff Turf is expected to be completed by October 2017.
Future stages of the Christie Park Master Plan include a centralised amenities building, additional synthetic turf fields and an increase in car parking capacity. Stage 1 of works on the synthetic fields are due for completion by early 2018.
Ilinden Sports Centre Rockdale Ilinden Football Club Inc and Bayside Council recently announced that the Design and Construction of a FIFA Quality all-weather synthetic field will be installed at Ilinden Sports Centre (Bidentennial Park South). Works are due to start late 2017 by Turf One.
Chatswood High School Willoughby City Council engaged Polytan to design and construct a brand new synthetic sporting facility at Chatswood High School, NSW. This new facility includes Polytan’s LigaTurf HB250 football surface, inclusive of a central cricket wicket, 3 synthetic cricket training nets, 5 small sided game fields within the main field and multi-sport basketball and netball courts with reversible towers.
Chatswood High School
The central cricket wicket has a SuperGrasse synthetic surface and the design allows for the football field to achieve the required flatness levels for FIFA compliance. Prior to the resurfacing, there was an existing cricket wicket and the school required this option to remain as part of the synthetic conversion. Bionic Fibre EPDM ‘virgin’ environmentally-friendly rubber performance infill has been utilised on the surface of the football field. Beneath the surface, Polytan designed and installed a storm water detention system designed to accommodate the sites specific drainage requirements, incorporating an impressive 331m3 of detention storage in order to limit discharge to pre-development flows. This new sporting facility will be home to Chatswood Rangers Football Club, meets FIFA Quality and Cricket Australia certification and was officially handed over in August 2017. (Story adapted from Ploytan) Chatswood High School Football Facilities | Facilities & Advocacy Unit | September 2017 Newsletter | 09
ParkSheds - HELPING YOU DO AMENITIES BETTER FACTORY BUILT HIGH PERFORMING ALTERNATIVE ParkSheds delivers factory built amenity buildings at a quality equivalent to residential project homes. This approach solves the budget uncertainty and delivery headaches often faced by Clubs and Councils from traditional design and build approaches. Our solution is almost “risk-free” in regards to delivery, budget and the OHS risks of building sites. The main module is 2 change rooms + umpires room, all equipped with showers and WC. Another popular enquiry is the canteen + clubhouse + WC module (or storage instead of WC). Externally the module fits sympathetically with the landscape and internally skylights ensure they are light and airy. Noelani Thalbauer from ParkSheds said “the shape of the buildings stay the same, we provide the opportunity for an individual look including materials, colours and a wide variety of options for the interior including wet areas. Tthe location can be chosen by the club as the module can be lifted into position using a large crane”. Football NSW believes this product could be suited to local clubs across NSW and encourages clubs to start discussions with local council. Clubs should consider inspecting the first NSW installation at Cromer Park, Dee Why. ParkSheds buildings comply with recommendations from other sporting codes including AFL and Rugby League so are ideal for shared grounds. In addition, with the increasing emphasis on female participation in sport and active recreation the modules comply with new Unisex and Female Friendly Guidelines. Clubs can arrange an inspection of this amenities module at Cromer Park by contacting Park Sheds using the details below. ParkSheds Level 6, 2 Bulletin Place, Sydney NSW 2000 P: 0451 599 451
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