Hundreds applaud as the Tamborine Mountain Sports Centre is opened
The Tamborine Mountain Sports Centre was officially opened on Sunday before a crowd of several hundred Tamborine Mountain families and invited guests.
Chris Wills
The Sports Centre
Under the beautiful blue winter sky, the main cricket oval with its white picket fence positively glowed. The oval is about size of the Gabba and with six layer first-class pitch making it suitable for international matches.
It was announced on Sunday that the main oval will now be known as the “Chris Wills Oval”, in honour of Chris Wills who sadly passed away in November 2009, after a life devoted to his family, the local community and the sport of cricket.
Anita Wills was a special guest at the opening ceremony. The naming of the oval in Chris Wills' honour is a fitting tribute to local man who was widely respected as “one of finest fellows you could meet and the adversities he had overcome with such good humour and optimism were an inspiration”.
Broad-based Community Support
Mayor John Brent
, Mayor of the Scenic Rim Regional Council said, “As a strong supporter of junior sports, I am very pleased to see such a terrific facility now available in the Scenic Rim. I saw the pride on the faces of the young sports people present at the opening ceremony, and want to express my real appreciation for the leadership of Alan Blackman and his committee in making this long-held vision a reality.”
Cr Brent and Brett Raguse cut the ribbon
The official launch of Stage One of the project was also attended by the Federal Member for Forde,
Mr Brett Raguse who spoke passionately about the significant contribution of the Federal Government contributing a total of $3.65 million of “Stimulus Package" funding to the project through the Community Infrastructure Program – Strategic Projects.
Mr Raguse also said, “I pay tribute to all three levels of government who have collaborated to make this project possible. The Federal Government provided funding, and there were significant contributions made by the Queensland State Government, the Scenic Rim Regional Council and importantly, by the Tamborine Mountain community itself”.
Cr Derek Swanborough represented the Tamborine Mountain community at Sunday’s launch event. For Cr Swanborough the launch was the fulfillment of 10 years of discussions with the local community about the provision of a community sporting facility. In 2005 as Director of Corporate Services for Beaudesert Shire Council, Derek undertook a sporting needs study, identified this magnificent block of land and negotiated its purchase.
Dr Alan Blackman
Chairman of the Tamborine Mountain Sports Centre, Dr Alan Blackman, spoke of the process of securing funds and then steering the $3.5 million dollar project from start-up to Stage One completion in just nine months. Despite the bad weather and other logistical hurdles, the project was completed on-time and within just 1% of its allocated budget. A significant achievement in an era where budget over runs and time line blowouts are the norm.
Dr Blackman said the project enjoyed the support of the Tamborine Mountain community. “In a randomised survey of adult residents of Tamborine Mountain, 83.9% of the 634 residents who participated in the survey favoured the development of a sport and recreation complex on this site”.
Anita Wills with Cr Swanborough & Brett Raguse
"This development is fundamentally transformative for the Tamborine Mountain community", said Alan Blackman.
"In just nine months, using funding from the Federal Labor Government’s “Stimulus Package”, this Association of local sport and recreation clubs, in cooperation with Scenic Rim Regional Council, has been able to create five playing fields, three netball courts, the first stage of a clubhouse, sheds, grandstand, fencing, roads, drainage, irrigation and a sewage treatment plant".
However, there’s still much to be done!
The last comment we note is from Ms Kylie Drinkwater, Secretary of the Tamborine Mountain Junior Bushrats. “Finally, after 15 years of running the kids all over the mountain looking for places to train and play, we have a home. This is a special day that may change the way we live on the Mountain”.
It was indeed, a highly successful day, and one that all who helped this project can be truly proud of.