ACT budget backs sport infrastructure

February 8, 2021

CANBERRA.--  ACT Ice Sports Federation (ACTISF) has welcomed the ACT Government's announcement its 2020-21 Budget would also include funding for planning and design works for ongoing sport infrastructure Territory-wide.

ACTISF president Tony Prescott said he was encouraged by sports minister Yvette Berry's recent affirmation Chief Minister Andrew Barr's Budget included an ongoing commitment to the community, in turn supporting the highest rates of participation in sport across the country.

"We in the ice sports want to contribute towards keeping the ACT’s sport participation rates as the nation’s gold standard – and only through modern facilities can we achieve this," Prescott said. "We remain excited by, and engaged in the ongoing process towards a new twin-sheet ice sports facility in Tuggeranong."

The government has committed to:

• a new permanent home for dragon boating at Grevillea Park on Lake Burley Griffin;

• a new tennis centre in Amaroo; and

• improvements for the Phillip District Enclosed Oval, including a new pavilion, upgraded grandstand and lights and additional parking. 

Prescott said the federation remains supportive of all of the ACT’s sporting organisations and clubs whose facilities benefit through generous support from the ACT government.

"Canberra’s sport participation rates are second to none across the country, with the ACT’s ice sports growing at unprecedented levels in recent years," Prescott said. "Ice sports will continue to grow in the ACT, and once our international level facility is completed, we fully expect to be leading the charge nationally in ice sports participation too," he added.