One of Ipswich City Council’s big ticket items in the 2018-19 Budget will be the new Springfield Central Sports Complex.
Of the total project cost of $38 million, council is contributing $4 million with the balance funded by developer contributions of $34 million.
Works, Parks and Sport Committee Acting Chairperson Cr David Morrison said once completed, the complex will offer some of the best publicly-available sporting fields and courts in Queensland.
“Construction on the new Springfield Central Sports Complex is progressing well and due to be completed in time for winter sports in 2019,” he said.
“This massive citywide project flagged last year creates a total of 22 hectares of fully developed sporting fields for the community and sporting clubs.”
Cr Morrison said the sporting and recreation centre of excellence is the single biggest expansion of sports facilities in the city’s history and will offer all resident and visitors:
- 8 tennis courts
- 16 netball courts
- 8 rectangular fields
- 4 ovals
- An athletics track
- Club houses; and
- 600 car parks
“It will feature Smart City initiatives such as LED lighting for the fields and courts,” he said.
Local Division 9 Councillor Sheila Ireland said the fields, courts and track will be used by many and varied Springfield-based sporting teams and the general public.
“When completed this new sporting complex will help ease the pressure and demand currently being experienced across Ipswich,” Cr Ireland said.
Work on the complex, opposite St Peters Lutheran College Springfield and Springfield Central State High School, started late last year and has progressed through 2018.
Cr Ireland said it could ultimately become the base of major sporting events, such as the new Greater Springfield Marathon Festival, which held its first event on surrounding streets on 10 June.
“We look forward to seeing some of the best athletes, mums and dads, and their children, playing and spectating across this incredible facility in the future,” she said.
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