Jamison Park is set to receive a multi-million dollar upgrade as part of a $100 million State Government program to build new and upgraded sports facilities.
Minister for Sport and Penrith MP Stuart Ayres joined members of the Nepean Football Association to announce a $2.5 million grant to install an all-weather synthetic surface at the park.
Mr Ayres said the grant was part of the NSW Government’s Greater Sydney Sports Facility Fund, which aims to improve the quality and quantity of sports infrastructure to enable multiple sports to use the park year-round.
“The upgrade will include replacing the existing turf fields with a multi-purpose FIFA standard synthetic surface that will fit two rectangular football fields,” he said.
“This is huge win for football participants across the Penrith region. For too long one of the largest associations in NSW has been without a synthetic pitch. Today that changes.
“The whole community and sports beyond football will also benefit from having enhanced all weather facilities at Jamison Park. This is about putting the people of Penrith first.”
Mr Ayres congratulated Penrith City Council on their successful application and said it will ensure Penrith residents can enjoy regular exercise at one of the region’s premier sports facilities.
Penrith Mayor, Ross Fowler said Council has long advocated for a synthetic playing surface and is thrilled to see this will be a reality very soon.
“From the communities point of view, this allows much greater use for active sports as they will not be impacted by inclement weather,” he said.
“This is especially important in a growing city and society that enjoys being active.”
After many years of advocating, Nepean Football Association General Manager Linda Cerone said she is overwhelmed by the good news.
“For many years the association has advocated for footballers in the Nepean District to be able to enjoy the same facilities as the rest of Sydney, so it’s wonderful that we’re on our way to seeing that happen,” she said.
The total value of the project will be $3.7 million which includes a $1.1 million contribution from Penrith City Council and a $75,000 contribution from Nepean Football Club.
A graduate of Western Sydney University, Nicola Barton is a news journalist with the Western Weekender, primarily covering crime and politics.
