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Sydney Olympic delighted as Belmore Sports Ground gains $5.9 million major upgrade
Belmore Sports Ground is set to take on a fresh facelift after it was announced that the Kevin Rudd Labour Government along with Canterbury Council was to provide $5.9 million to redevelop the popular football ground in Sydney’s Inner West.
New change rooms, a fully furnished gym, the upgrade of two playing fields outside the ground (Peter Moore Oval), new admin offices as well as new and improved facilities inside the stadium are just some of the quality features Belmore Sports Ground will undertake.
Anthony Albanese, Minister for Infrastructure and Local Government and Tony Burke, Member for Watson, made the announcement at Belmore on Friday with the Mayor of Canterbury City Council Robert Furolo, Chairman of the Canterbury Bankstown Rugby League Club Ray Dibb and President of Sydney Olympic FC George Giannaros.
Mr Albanese said that the project was worth $5.9 million in total and that it was giving something back to the community of Canterbury.
“It is expected to support 40 jobs during construction as well as another 10 jobs over the longer term, delivering an economic boost for the Inner West.
“The new upgrade to Belmore Sports Ground will assist with both the Canterbury Bankstown Rugby League Club and Sydney Olympic and will support both their respective codes in playing and training in a class facility.”
Mr Giannaros was delighted to have seen this upgrade passed through on the Blues’ current home ground.
“I would like to thank Mr Anthony Albanese and Mr Tony Burke who worked very hard for this to occur as in my opinion this is certainly a landmark decision that will see rival codes Football and Rugby League working together.
“It sends out a strong message to both codes’ organisations the FFA and NRL that we can work together as one.
“Looking at the bigger picture with this recent upgrade you can even count the possibility of it being used as a training pitch for one of the national teams should Australia win the right to host either the 2018 or 2022 World Cup, the opportunities are endless.
“It certainly boosts Sydney Olympic with the continuation of further enhancing the professionalism at the club and the board are satisfied that these moves certainly point the club towards the right direction.”
Sydney Olympic skipper Anthony Doumanis equally praised the statement that the Blues President stated to Football NSW.
“This is a great ground to be playing at and to have it redeveloped will be terrific for the future of this club.
“It is really good to see both codes working alongside each other and shows that sport does unite everybody.”
Mr Burke said, “There was a great deal of disappointment when the Bulldogs stopped basing themselves in the local area back in 1998.
“Today’s announcement will bring Canterbury Bankstown’s most popular sporting team back home.”
It is expected that the Bulldogs will return to the ground at the start of 2011 while Olympic will continue to play it’s home matches for its senior squad as well as its junior sides at the newly redeveloped facility for the next few seasons.
Sydney Olympic FC has a rich and prestigious history dating back to 1957. In 2010, with a new and refreshed board, the Club is striving to be the protagonist in all aspects of football in NSW and with this recent upgrade to Belmore Sports Ground, the sky is certainly the limit for the Blues.
Present on the day alongside Doumanis was Bulldogs skipper Andrew Ryan and senior players Luke Patten, David Stagg, Steve Turner, Michael Hodgson and Josh Morris as well as head coach Kevin Moore.
from FNSW website
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