For 10 years, Wyndham’s young sports stars have crammed on to overcrowded courts at the ageing Werribee Sports and Fitness Centre, dreaming of the day it will be updated and expanded.
Their wishes are a step closer to being answered after state Sports and Recreation Minister Hugh Delahunty visited the Ballan Road centre last Thursday to launch a $47 million redevelopment.
The project will take two years to complete and will transform the centre affectionately known as The Rec into the largest indoor sports centre in the western suburbs.
Werribee Basketball Association president and Fix the Rec campaign chairman Mark Hall says the redevelopment is overdue.
“To be polite, it is an old stadium. It’s well over capacity,” he said.
“[The redevelopment] will not only bring the centre up to standard, it will help grow sport in the city as well.”
The redevelopment, funded by Wyndham council and state and federal governments, will increase the number of courts at the centre from six to 12, including a show court with seating for 1500.
The centre will also include four outdoor courts, a table tennis area, cafe, creche and a gym and spin room.
Federal Lalor MP Joanne Ryan, who coaches a netball team at the centre, said the upgrade would make a big difference.
“Kids arrive in their droves on Saturday mornings,” she said. “We are teaching our teams on half courts … we really have reached capacity.”
Mr Delahunty said the redevelopment would help the centre keep up with the sports needs of Wyndham’s growing community.
“The bigger venue will open up a whole range of new sport and recreation opportunities for locals to get together, build on their fitness, join a club and get more active more often,” he said.
