Wagga Softball expects to receive funding for a significant upgrade to its facilities at French Fields next financial year.
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President Deanna McNaughton said she had not yet confirmed the funding figure or which fund it would come from.
But she stated it could be state money, with many sporting associations across Wagga and NSW angling for a share of the state government’s Regional Sports Infrastructure Fund.
Wagga Softball has been pushing for the cash injection for about five years, but it was only late last year that McNaughton received a definitive assurance that the association had been scheduled for funding.
The cash injection would be put towards upgrading French Fields’ toilet block, canteen and umpire rooms.
McNaughton said she was thrilled that help was finally on its way.
“There are so many sporting groups in Wagga and everyone is calling out for support, so it’s probably a case of ‘the squeaky wheel gets the oil’,” she said.
“But I think it’s also about being an organisation which shows it’s heading in the right direction as an assurance that the funding will be money well spent.
“Sometimes sporting associations can find themselves in a bit of a catch-22 situation, because you’ll be looking for funding when the sport needs a little help, but if it’s needing help it can be like ‘well why would we be spending money on that’.”
The association plans to negotiate an overhaul of the diamond itself with council separately.
McNaughton also believes the impending upgrade could attract a host of high level competitions to town which rarely, if ever, come to Wagga.
“The state championships would be a big one that we’d like to aim for,” she said.
“That’s something that’s almost always in metro areas because the facilities have to be up to a certain standard.
“We want to push for other large regional tournaments as well.”