Football Wagga is inching closer towards building a state-of-the-art complex which would include regional NSW’s first synthetic soccer field and could even see the city become a base for visiting national teams.
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The local sporting body plans to submit a drastically improved application for the state government’s $100 million Regional Sports Infrastructure Fund, with its expression of interest likely to be submitted by the end of the month.
Despite being unsuccessful in requesting funds to upgrade Gissing Oval and Rawlings Park through the ClubGrants scheme in 2015 and 2016 respectively, FWW strategy and planning officer Erwin Budde is confident this year will be a case of ‘third time lucky’.
“Last year we got right to the final hurdle,” Budde said.
“The only thing stopping us was not having formal council approval.
“But this year we do, along with the continued support of Football NSW, who have identified this as a priority project.”
While previous year’s funding requests were made solely with field upgrades in mind, FWW now hopes to build an entire complex which it estimates will benefit 4000 local players.
The plans feature a synthetic field, new club rooms, male and female change rooms, new lighting, increased parking and sorely-needed drainage improvements.
Much of the soccer community has been crying out for a synthetic field and those cries only intensified when extreme rainfall rendered local grounds unplayable throughout much of last season.
Budde also believes the complex would have a monumental impact locally.
“The opportunities it would present for schools, clubs and regional competitions would be unprecedented,” he said.
“I’ve also spoken to the FFA, who have said that if the project gets off the ground, they’d help us promote ourselves as a training base for future international competitions, such as the Asian Cup or potentially the Women’s World Cup, should Australia host it.”
FWW’s plans dictate the project would require $3 million in funding and Budde believes it could be finished as soon as late 2018.
“We’re ready to go, we’ve spoken to contractors, we’ve got the quotes and we think we could build it within 12 months,” he said.
FWW hopes to establish whether it has been shortlisted within six weeks of submitting its expression of interest.
If successful, it would then formally submit the detailed plans in conjunction with Wagga City Council.
