Dubbo has the potential to attract more soccer carnivals, as well as A-League club visits thanks to a $60,000 grant to upgrade facilities at the Lady Cutler complex.
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Member for Dubbo Troy Grant joined with Dubbo Regional Council representatives to present Dubbo and District Football Association (DDFA) with $60,000 in funding from the NSW Government to improve amenities at the soccer grounds.
The money, which has been provided through the Asian Cup Legacy Fund, will be used to install two male, two female and two disabled toilets at Lady Cutler East Ovals.
“Currently the only amenities at these sporting facilities is in the middle of the Lady Cutler Oval and therefore players involved in games being played on Lady Cutler East and Lady Cutler South have to cross a road and walk at least 450m to get to the amenities,” Mr Grant said.
“Better amenities will hopefully encourage greater participation. Disability toilets will allow people with a disability to participate and/or spectate in the local competition or any other events held at the facility.”
DDFA president Darrell Hines said upwards of 350 soccer matches are played at the complex annually, and the new amenities block will be the first step in a grand plan his association has for the complex.
“If you don’t have these facilities, you will never get anywhere so this is a starting point,” he said.
“We have ideas that we would like to really expand Lady Cutler, and we’d love to get a grandstand down here at some stage as well.
“But having an extra amenities block will make it easier for us to win hosting rights for carnivals, and on a weekly basis it will mean we won’t have as many people crossing what is a bust stretch of road down here.”
With the Socceroos’ World Cup qualification campaign firmly in the news, the booming popularity of football is again bringing communities together, with the side’s success at the 2015 Asian Cup proving the catalyst for the funding that has made this grant available.
“Through the allocation of surplus funding from the elite level Asian Cup in 2015 to community football, it ensures that we continue to see Australia succeeding on the international stage, while getting kids more active at the same time,” Mr Grant said.
“Players, referees, coaches and administrators of all ages and abilities are set to benefit from the fund which will magnify the benefits our game brings to the area.”
