But when we are talking about $65 million being spent to provide Wagga with some top-notch sporting facilities, it is money well spent.

A multi-million dollar revamp of the facilities at Bolton Park is the centrepiece of a plan to transform Wagga into a regional hub for elite sports.

Wagga Council City staff have been working with the city’s sporting groups to come up with the plan, which would improve the whole Bolton Park precinct, including the ovals, tennis, swimming, skate park and gymnastics facilities.

The planned construction of a new Police Citizens Youth Club on an adjoining site is an added impetus to get it right.

Wagga has long been known as the City of Good Sports, but keeping that reputation is not going to come without some substantial investment, and the cost of any large-scale building work is not going to get cheaper.

When we talk about catering to the needs of the city, it is not just residents of this region who need to be considered.

Developing first-class sporting facilities will not only cater to the regular needs of the sporting groups that operate in the city, but will also allow Wagga to draw in top-class events on a more frequent basis.

If we want the Sheffield Shield, or the Big Bash or an NRL game in our city, then Wagga needs to have facilities which are of a high enough standard.

The city already has a plethora of hotels, restaurants and other entertainment options, so now is the time to make sure we have great sports venues.

Bolton Park is showing its age and, in the past, upgrade work on the precinct has been piecemeal.

When Wagga mayor Greg Conkey described the draft master plan as visionary, he was right.

An overarching master plan that takes into account the future, as well as current, needs of the whole Bolton Park precinct is a good way to ensure that when it comes to actually doing the work, the city gets value for money.