The Bowral Rugby Club’s ongoing project to upgrade their clubhouse has received a new push thanks to a $991,330 grant from the state government.
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Premier Gladys Berejiklian joined Wollondilly MP Jai Rowell at Eridge Park to make the announcement to a delighted crowd of club members.
“I want to thank the club and all of its members for putting together a fantastic submission that I know they’ve been requesting for a long time. Your local member, Jai Rowell, has been so vigilant in making me aware of this application,” Ms Berejiklian said.
Mr Rowell said the grant was the culmination of more than 18 years of effort from club. “They have tried for 18 years to achieve this and I am glad to have worked with Mark Freund, Gary Avis and so many other amazing people to secure the funding for them,” Mr Rowell said.
“This funding will breathe new life into the Southern Highlands and encourage tourism for our great region and I congratulate mayor Ken Halstead and Wingecarribee Shire Council in working with the club to submit their application,” he said.
Blacks president Mark Freund said while it was a “bit of a shock”, he was glad that 18 years of applying for state and federal grants had finally paid off.
Stage two of the upgrade will involve disabled access to the clubhouse and extending it to facilitate more than 200 people.
A canteen downstairs will also become operational for other user groups such as Little Athletics, touch football and school athletics carnivals and Freund said the upgrade would mean better viewing areas for spectators.
He said they hoped to have it up and running by next year but would have discussions with council this week “and work out where we go from here” with the project now set to go out on public tender.
“It’s a piece of infrastructure for the whole Highlands,” he said.
“It’ll give Eridge Park more scope for people to bring important events to the Highlands.” Once the upgrade is complete, Freund said he hoped it would attract “bigger and better events” to the Highlands.
Super Rugby trial games and more Shute Shield matches are something the club will hope to secure.
‘They’re on our target for the next five to 10 years.”
Freund said other user groups would also be able to utilise the space and hold events at the clubhouse.
Mr Rowell said the upgraded clubhouse would be great not just for sport but for the community.
“The clubhouse is used as a facility for the elderly and the community. It is also used to help raise money for needy causes in the community. It’s not just great for sport, but for local tourism and business activity.”
