Greenacres Reserve Sporting Facilities

The Hon. R.B. MARTIN (15:20): My question is to the Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing. Can the minister please inform the council about the recent upgrade of the Greenacres Reserve recreational facility?

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE (Minister for Emergency Services and Correctional Services, Minister for Autism, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (15:21): Thank you for your question. It was an absolute pleasure, in my first official duty as the Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing, to join the Port Adelaide Enfield Mayor in opening the new Greenacres Reserve sporting facility last Thursday night. Greenacres Reserve is home to four sporting clubs, with approximately 400 weekly participants. Greenacres Tennis Club, Payneham Postel Lions Soccer Club, North Eastern Knights Cricket Club and Windsor Gardens Old Scholars Soccer Club all call the space home, and members of the local community also utilise these facilities.

Just like on the field, many have had to work together off the field to make this project a reality. Thanks to the efforts of the state government, Port Adelaide Enfield council, the local member, the clubs, players and volunteers, the reserve now has a brand new clubroom and upgraded training facilities that are designed to bring the local community together and offer a place of sport, recreation, relaxation and connection with nature.

The upgrade features a new multiclub facility that includes new function spaces and change room facilities as well as four new tennis courts, upgraded lighting and upgraded cricket nets. The site also includes new public toilets and a recreational court for community use. The redevelopment and the construction by the South Australian firm BluBuilt was jointly funded by the City of Port Adelaide Enfield and state government, with the Office of Sport, Rec and Racing I understand contributing $1.4 million to the project.

The brand new function space will enable the club to hold regular functions and raise extra revenue. This opportunity has not been available to any of the clubs previously and will be a great support for their future. The change room facilities now meet unisex standards and, I am advised, allow the club to grow their junior and female programs, providing appropriate facilities for players before and after training matches.

Greenacres Tennis Club is able to use tennis courts and lighting that are now compliant with Tennis Australia facility guidelines for training and competition. Booking courts has also been reinstated, enabling the club to provide community use and maximum activity on the courts outside of their used times. The North Eastern Cricket Club is able to use cricket nets that are compliant with the Cricket Australia facility guidelines, and the upgrades have already seen a significant increase in community use. They are just a number of the many benefits this project provides and will ensure that the community is able to engage in sport they love going forward.