The Lights Community and Sports Centre

Ms WORTLEY (Torrens) (15:31): On the weekend, I had the opportunity to participate in an amazing opening of the new The Lights Community and Sports Centre, which was in my electorate of Torrens before the boundary redistribution. It is a fantastic new facility, and it is a project I worked long and hard on for the benefit of the community.

In 2014, when I was elected as the member for Torrens, I had a vision of what I thought we needed in the area, somewhere for the community to gather. With all the new development, it was an opportunity for young people and older people to be able to come together and participate in sport and other community activities. This was a challenging task due to finding an appropriate location, as well as sourcing funding, and working with the former state Labor government, Port Adelaide Enfield council and residents to ensure the best outcome.

The 30-Year Plan for Greater Adelaide recognises the importance of integrated sporting facilities to be able to provide sustainable, safe and inclusive spaces, meeting the needs of our community. With Lightsview continuing to grow and new housing developments in the surrounding suburbs of Hillcrest, Klemzig, Oakden and Gilles Plains, securing this facility was vital to coordinate the provision of services and infrastructure, so discussions began in 2015. Eventually, the former Ross Smith school site (prior to that it was Northfield High School) was granted to the Port Adelaide Enfield council. With further government contribution and a significant contribution from the Port Adelaide Enfield council, the centre was established. So it took that long to plan and to deliver.

This is a great example of the state government and the local government working together to achieve a positive result for our community. The centre is really state of the art. It has amazing facilities, including five multipurpose courts with retractable seating that will seat approximately 1,000 people. It is a welcoming, inclusive indoor community place for all people regardless of age, cultural background, socio-economic status or ability. There are multipurpose spaces for groups, including social clubs, local schools and other educational institutions. There is the Delightful Cafe and Pushing Performance in the commercial spaces.

It has modern, adaptable changing areas, including public and team changing rooms, with separate referee changing rooms; shared use for clients and patients at the Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre for activities, such as wheelchair sports and exercise classes; adaptable spaces for major events; and competition spaces for sport and other activities. There are viewing platforms and there is also a function space that can cater for up to 250 people.

In addition to all these great features, the City of Port Adelaide Enfield has engaged Play Sight, a technology company that enables live streaming of matches, video on demand, intricate analysis tools, injury analysis, as well as live replay functions, and that will be great for immediate feedback when coaching aspiring athletes. This is the first indoor community and sports centre in Adelaide to install this technology. Other organisations that are involved in The Lights include the North Adelaide Rockets Basketball Club and Inclusive Sport SA, Basketball SA and Volleyball SA, and sports including box fit, tai chi, lacrosse, fencing, badminton, netball, wheelchair sports, roller derby, line dancing, kabaddi and carrom.

The North Adelaide Rockets Basketball Club's home was at Hillcrest Stadium for 48 years. On Sunday I joined them on the Big Red Walk, when more than 500 people walked from Hillcrest Stadium to The Lights to open the stadium to basketball. More than 500 people participated because, of course, The Lights stadium is the new home for the Rockets Basketball Club.

It was great to have vice-president, David Durant, there with his wife, Helane—he is also the coach and he has played a significant role in the club over many years, including overseeing the project from the perspective of the Rockets Basketball Club—, as well as the president of the Rockets Basketball Club, Wayne Schild, and of course Rockets legend and Australian Opals basketball silver medallist, Jo Hill, was there, and her signature on the floor of the main court was unveiled.