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Verge and Eden Streets Sporting Complex

lights on at Verge Street oval for night cricket

Summary

Kempsey Shire Council is making many improvements to the Verge and Eden Streets Sporting Complex, including:

reconfiguration of existing fields, including two new turf wickets for cricket
refurbishment of the existing grandstand
provision of two grass surface netball courts and 11 hard surface courts
new purpose-built clubhouse incorporating amenities and change rooms
new purpose-built netball pavilion
new lighting to competition standard on all fields, netball courts and ancillary areas
recreation facilities, including perimeter running path and four fitness stations
field irrigation and minor resurfacing
expansion of car parking.
Develop a master plan for Verge 1 Sporting Field.

Timeframe

The project will be completed in a phased roll-out, partly to accommodate the community's ongoing usage of the facilities.

Funding

Council secured a $10 million NSW Government grant for the Verge and Eden Streets Sporting Complex to create better sporting facilities and a capacity to host larger events. The successful grant application was accepted at the February 2020 Council meeting.

Progress to date, updated June 2023.

There has been a delay in delivering the netball pavilion. The netball pavilion plans have had to be revisited due to changes in the planning regulations made by the NSW Government after the Lismore Floods. This will be the third design undertaken. Council is working closely with Macleay Netball Association and community to come up with a new design that can overcome these challenges and meet the needs of the netball clubs and the community.
The new multipurpose pavilion project is being finalised. It will be located on the site of the old cricket nets and was designed by Council in consultation with local sporting clubs to ensure that the pavilion meets their current and future needs. Tenders for the construction of that pavilion will be announced in mid-2023.
Landscaping, a new fence and cafe container have been installed.
Turf works are now complete.
Groundworks have been finished, including laser levelling the soccer and cricket field using 1,500m³ of soil and turf underlay.
Four exercise stations have been installed. These have been designed by local exercise physiologists for people of all ages and abilities.
The old netball clubhouse has been removed.
Carpark construction, including Verge Lane, Vincent Street and Verge Street, has been finished.
Construction of the running track, including a 2.4m crushed and compacted gravel surface suitable for wheelchair access, is complete.
The netball courts have been asphalted.
Irrigation work has been completed. This includes installation of 200,000 litre water tanks.

For the latest updates on Council projects, see Kempsey Shire Council's Weekly Works Update.

Background

At the June 2019 Council meeting, Council resolved to adopt the Verge and Eden Street Sporting Complex Master Plan, which reflected the needs and actions outlined in the Macleay Valley Sports Strategy, adopted by Council in June 2017. The Sports Strategy recommended a master plan for the site to guide its development as the premier sports facility in the local government area and to address utilisation issues.

The master plan makes many recommendations to improve the facilities and outlines a strategic approach to the prioritisation of sport and recreation across the complex based on consultation with sports user groups and an analysis of current and future trends in sport.