Clubhouse lease for Fraser Coast Cycling and OzTag

Rooms in a new building at the Fraser Coast Sport and Recreation Precinct will be leased to the Hervey Bay Oztag Sports Association and the Fraser Coast Cycling Club.

The remainder of the building will be available for use by other sporting groups and visitors to sporting events.

It is anticipated that footpaths to the building, which was craned into position at the beginning of June, will be finished by the end of the month.

The building is the third hub or clubhouse to be opened on the site.

Councillor Jade Wellings said the sport precinct was providing local residents with access to new high-quality sporting fields and helping to attract events which bring more visitors to the region.

“Hubs now exist for the netball and football (soccer) clubs using the facility,” Cr Wellings said.

“We are continuing to make improvements at the precinct, with new lights installed at two fields last year and three new fields to be completed later this year.

“The precinct continues to grow as more clubs come onboard to use the facilities.”

In March, Council started negotiations with the Hervey Bay Basketball Association for a 20-year lease on land at the precinct so the group could build a new facility.

“The expansion of gymnastics at the Hervey Bay PCYC has been the catalyst for the basketball association to strike out on its own and find a new home,” Cr Wellings said.

“The growth of the facility is having a two-fold effect. As more facilities are built with good quality playing surfaces, more people are attracted to sports and more regional, state, and national events will be held in the region.”

The three clubhouses and lighting for the soccer and touch football fields were provided for through grants from the Queensland Government. Funding is also being provided by the Australian Government for drainage upgrades and works on the carpark and roadway at the sports precinct.

“The Australian and Queensland Government grants have enabled us to provide these facilities earlier than anticipated in the master plan and attract sporting codes to the precinct,” Cr Wellings said.

The formal opening of the new hub building, which was funded with a $1.1 million grant through the State Government’s COVID Works For Queensland program, will be held on August 4.